Microsoft’s AI-Driven Sustainability Leap in the Middle East

In anticipation of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) at Expo City in Dubai from November 30th to December 12th, Microsoft has published a whitepaper titled “Accelerating Sustainability with AI: A Playbook.” This playbook serves as a comprehensive guide for governments, businesses, and civil society organizations, outlining how artificial intelligence (AI) can drive the transition towards a net-zero, climate-resilient, and nature-positive future.

Samer Abu-Ltaif, CVP and President of Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa (CEMA) at Microsoft, emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change, stating, “We are at a critical moment for environmental sustainability.” He stressed the importance of collaborative efforts among government leaders, businesses, and civil society, utilizing AI as a crucial tool. Abu-Ltaif expressed Microsoft’s commitment to sharing insights and best practices to serve as a valuable resource for unlocking the full potential of AI in creating a sustainable future.

The playbook highlights three key abilities of AI essential for overcoming obstacles on the path to achieving net zero: pattern discernment, outcome prediction, and performance optimization in complex systems; acceleration of the discovery and development of solutions, such as low-carbon materials and climate-resilient crops; and empowerment of the sustainability workforce of the future.

Juan M. Lavista Ferres, Vice President and Chief Data Scientist of the AI for Good Lab at Microsoft and one of the playbook’s authors, underscored the transformative potential of AI in sustainability. He noted that while AI is already contributing to sustainability-related discoveries, its full transformative power is just beginning to unfold. Ferres emphasized the need to foster AI innovation globally to accelerate decarbonization and enable the development of even more sustainable AI operations.

Microsoft’s playbook outlines a five-point approach to perpetuate the cycle of innovation and progress in AI for sustainability. This includes investing in AI for sustainability solutions, developing inclusive digital and data infrastructure, minimizing resource use in AI operations, advancing AI policy principles and governance for sustainability, and building workforce capacity for AI in sustainability.

At COP28, Microsoft will showcase the playbook as a Climate Supporter and Climate Innovator partner in a dedicated booth, alongside 20 global partners. The company will demonstrate how its Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability suite incorporates AI into products and solutions, empowering customers to make impactful decisions toward net-zero goals. Additionally, Microsoft will unveil the contributions of its AI for Earth and AI for Good programs in deploying cutting-edge AI technologies globally to address environmental challenges.