Unleashing the power of AI in the green transition

As consultants, we have a diverse range of customers, all working towards creating a more sustainable future. With high ambitions in mind, thinking outside the box and exploring innovative approaches to optimising energy consumption, reinventing transportation systems or revolutionising waste management are essential.

Addressing the climate crisis calls for unconventional solutions, and it is clear that no single sector holds the answer. However, the true strength lies in collaborative initiatives where AI serves as the focal point, bringing together expertise and resources from various industries.

Generative AI has rapidly gained traction in several Danish companies, with many developing their own in-house solutions. It makes sense to establish a closed system, which provides a higher level of IT security and responsible data handling while increasing organisational maturity. At COWI, our AI sandbox, AI Playground, has provided a platform for 8,000 employees to experiment and explore the potential of this technology for nearly a year, and over half of these employees have utilised the AI Playground in the past six months.

While internal solutions are important when transforming a company into an AI-powered organisation, they also come with critical limitations due to the lack of connectivity with business partners and customers. In particular, we see the distancing from customers as a challenge. That is why COWI is currently developing a new project-oriented platform that all involved parties can use to enhance collaboration and utilise AI to navigate through the various aspects and data sources of projects. In practice, this means that both employees and business partners will have access to data generated within the specific sandbox linked to a project.

AI offers several advantages. The collaboration between the involved parties will become more efficient, resulting in a more transparent workflow. It has the potential to strengthen both internal and external processes, but due to the substantial amount of data exchange, it also provides opportunities to explore new methods in project execution. It can contribute to a more informed decision-making process, for instance, when selecting materials for projects. Which structural materials can minimise the carbon emissions on the project? These are some of the areas where we will apply the technology.

The possibilities are endless, and the time to act is now. It is imperative that businesses across sectors quickly acknowledge the enormous potential of AI in leading the green transition. Let us break down barriers, unify our strengths and build a sustainable future together.