Balancing AI’s energy consumption with commitments to clean energy (SDG 7): Is there a trade-off?

This study examines how organizations’ commitments to Sustainable Development Goal 7 (clean energy) relate to their adoption of energy-efficient artificial intelligence practices. We hypothesized a negative relationship, expecting resource-allocation trade-offs to limit AI energy efficiency. Contrary to that expectation, a survey of 400 European IT managers shows that organizations committed to SDG 7 have 2.4 times higher odds of adopting energy-efficient AI practices, such as monitoring AI energy consumption and avoiding over-engineering. This effect is even more pronounced among firms that use AI to promote renewable energy, which show 2.9 times higher odds of monitoring AI energy consumption. These findings indicate that sustainability policies can positively influence energy-efficient AI adoption, highlighting the importance of strategic energy management as AI deployment scales. Overall, the results challenge common assumptions about trade-offs between SDG-aligned sustainability goals and operational efficiency in AI implementation.