Google, KPMG & More: The History of AI & its Sustainability

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the science of creating systems that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning and language understanding.

First emerging in the 1950s with early ideas from pioneers like Alan Turing, AI has evolved through key milestones including machine learning in the 1980s, deep learning in the 2010s and today’s generative AI models.

Today, AI is widely used across industries for applications such as sustainability and climate action, with organisations like Microsoft, Accenture, Siemens and Google leading initiatives, alongside industry collaboration and discussions at events such as Sustainability LIVE @ London Climate Action Week, which explores how AI can drive net zero progress and environmental innovation. 

What is AI and the history behind it

According to IBM’s timeline, the foundations of AI were established in the 1950s, with AI initially defined as “human intelligence exhibited by machines,” closely reflecting Alan Turing’s early vision of intelligent computing.

By the 1980s, the field had evolved into machine learning, as AI systems began to use historical data and expand the databases and knowledge they relied on to improve performance over time.

In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue famously defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, marking a major milestone in AI development, as noted by Amazon Web Services (AWS).

During the 2010s, AI progressed into deep learning, where models began to more closely replicate aspects of human brain function and move beyond rigid, rule-based behaviour.

Today, AI is often associated with generative AI models, which build on deep learning techniques to produce original, human-like content such as text, images and other media.

AI, as described by Google Cloud, is a set of technologies that enables computers to carry out complex tasks such as recognising images, understanding and translating language, analysing data and producing recommendations. 

A common example is optical character recognition (OCR), which uses AI to extract text and information from images and documents, transforming unstructured content into structured data that can be analysed for insights.

More broadly, AI refers to the science of creating machines and systems that can reason, learn and act in ways that typically require human intelligence, or that can process information at a scale beyond human capability.

“The future of AI is not about replacing humans, it’s about augmenting human capabilities,” explains Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google. 

It draws on multiple disciplines, including computer science, data analytics, statistics, engineering, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy and psychology.

In business contexts, AI is often implemented through machine learning and deep learning techniques, supporting applications such as:

• Data analysis
• Forecasting
• Object recognition
• Natural language processing
• Personalised recommendations
• Intelligent search.

According to Google Cloud, by analysing large datasets, AI systems learn patterns, adapt over time and uncover relationships that may be difficult for humans to detect. 

This process is driven by algorithms, structured sets of rules, that guide how data is processed and decisions are made. 

Companies using AI sustainably

Integrating AI into global operations, WWF Germany, Microsoft and Accenture have launched ghostnetzero.ai, a platform utilising AI to analyse sonar data with 90% accuracy to locate lost fishing gear, which constitutes 30% of marine plastic waste. 

KPMG supports sustainable transformations through its Trusted AI Framework and tools like Climate IQ to ensure ethical and sustainable deployment across its 270,000 employees.

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In aviation, Infosys employs the Cobalt Airline Cloud to optimise flight paths and predictive maintenance, whereas Salesforce utilises Agentforce to help organisations like Good360 and Rare streamline disaster relief and regenerative agriculture. 

Environmental monitoring is further advanced by Google’s WeatherNext and Microsoft’s Aurora, which provide near-instant climate forecasts and Nvidia’s Earth-2, which offers generative AI models like CorrDiff that are 3,000 times more energy-efficient than traditional methods. 

Additionally, the Met Office utilises its FastNet model to blend physics with machine learning for faster, lower-emission forecasting, while Lenovo embeds governance through its Responsible AI Council and tools like LISSA to track IT lifecycle emissions. 

“As the Met Office’s CAIO I am charged with embedding AI in the Office’s core business: initially the focus is the use of AI in weather forecasting through leadership of the ‘AI for numerical weather prediction’ (AI4NWP) programme,” writes Kirstine Dale, CAIO at the Met Office, on LinkedIn. 

TotalEnergies is also committed to using AI sustainably by partnering with Mistral AI to accelerate renewable energy technologies.

Siemens is scaling industrial AI to achieve tangible outcomes, such as a 30% efficiency boost in data centre cooling, proving that AI is a critical lever for reaching net zero goals across the energy, technology and conservation sectors.

The future of AI in sustainability 

AI is transforming how organisations measure, manage and mitigate their environmental footprint and speakers on The Future of AI in Sustainability Panel at London Climate Action Week, in association with PMI, will share techniques and innovations for using AI in sustainability reporting and operations. 

Sustainability LIVE is joining the line-up at London Climate Action Week with an event on 25 June 2026, bringing together C-Suite executives and sustainability leaders to discuss strategies to make a positive impact on the environment and communities.

The event aims to deliver insights, connections and solutions to help accelerate progress towards net zero, while helping leaders navigate a rapidly evolving sustainability landscape shaped by regulation, innovation and global policy shifts. 

It features 25 expert speakers and four interactive executive workshops, offering practical guidance and strategic perspective on embedding climate action across operations, supply chains and investment decisions.

Learning points from the panel include that The Future of AI in Sustainability Panel will take place at 14:15-15:00 (BST) in The Enterprise Theatre, highlighting AI use cases such as emissions tracking, predictive climate modelling, energy system optimisation and supply chain transparency, while also addressing opportunities, risks and ethical considerations as AI becomes a key tool for more effective and accountable sustainability outcomes, with registration open now.

A key speaker includes Sophie Graham, Chief Sustainability Officer at IFS, who brings expertise from overseeing IFS’ sustainability strategy across operations, with a background in environmental law and experience across EMEA, the Americas and the UK in technology and finance sectors.

Salah Said, Director of Sustainability at Klarna, who has more than a decade of experience in sustainability, social innovation and corporate responsibility across non-profits, social entrepreneurship and major European corporations is also set to speak at the event.

Register your interest to attend now