IBM Survey: Sustainable IT Requires a Strategic Approach
In today’s digital business environment, having robust IT practices and infrastructure are no longer optional but essential.
IT is also vital to sustainability, allowing organisations to track, visualise and solve problems with their environmental impact.
Artificial intelligence (AI) holds huge potential with its ability to make optimisations for both energy and operational efficiency.
IBM describes data as the ‘lifeblood’ of sustainability efforts as AI has the ability to accelerate the conversion of data into insights.
A study from the IBM Institute for Business Value captured insights from 1,100 global executives on environmentally sustainable computing practices and infrastructure.
Speaking in March, Kareem Yusuf, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Product Management & Growth at IBM Software, says: “It is crystal clear that sustainability challenges are also business challenges."
"Companies that want to thrive in today’s competitive landscape need a deep understanding of their waste, energy costs, environmental risks and supply chains.”
Generative AI for more sustainable IT operations
IBM’s study found that the organisations surveyed on average attribute as much as 20% of their energy costs to IT operations.
The study shows a 230% increase in organisations applying generative AI and green IT initiatives by 2027, with respondents ranking energy consumption optimisation as the top implementation.
IBM reports that 27% of organisations were using post-pilot generative AI in sustainable IT initiatives and operations in 2023. 63% say they will do so by the end of 2024 and 89% before 2028.
Further, 49% of organisations have already fully implemented AI for sustainable design and 57% report the tech had a significantly positive impact on the sustainability of their IT operations.
Despite this, only 23% of the organisations surveyed are integrating sustainability assessments during the design and planning stages of IT projects to a “very great extent”.
Of the 64% of organisations using generative AI and large language, only a third report having made “great progress” in addressing its environmental impact.
IBM says: “While generative AI can be a game changer for more sustainable IT operations, driving real change requires a strategic and sustainable approach.”
The report also shows that organisations with a holistic approach to enterprise-wide IT sustainability achieve a two times greater reduction in IT carbon footprint than less mature counterparts.
They also experience 51% more energy cost savings than those without a holistic approach and 98% report seeing benefits in operational efficiency.
Hybrid cloud for more sustainable IT
Hybrid cloud is a mixed computing environment that combines a public cloud with an on-premises data centre, or private cloud.
This allows for flexibility and cost reductions.
Speaking in August, Christina Shim, Chief Sustainability Officer at IBM, says: “IBM serves as client zero for many of the technologies it brings to market, leveraging our own solutions and innovations to make a lasting, positive impact through sustainability and in our business.
“From minimising climate-related risks to creating and implementing industry solutions that harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and hybrid cloud, we will create more pathways to better conserve natural resources and reduce environmental impact."
A quarter of organisations are using hybrid cloud to boost sustainability and energy efficiency, IBM reports.
Nearly half of those using hybrid cloud report a substantial positive impact on overall IT sustainability.
More than 80% of organisations following a holistic approach to IT sustainability are using automation to adjust IT environments based on demand.
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