AI x Sustainability: Business Opportunities and Challenges

This in-person panel explored how AI has advanced sustainability, with real-world examples from business and academia.

AI letters on a grassy field (3D render)

AI x Sustainability: Business Opportunities and Challenges

This in-person panel explored how AI has advanced sustainability, with real-world examples from business and academia.

This event took place on 19 November 2025

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising how businesses operate, from decision-making and automating processes to customer engagement, but at what cost? Can AI also help us meet the urgent sustainability goals facing our organisations and our planet?

This interactive panel of experts from business and academia explored:

@ How AI is being adopted across industries and what this means for business.
@ The risks AI poses to sustainable development, from high energy usage to bias and governance challenges.
@ Opportunities to harness AI as a tool to address complex sustainability problems.
@ Real-world case studies from business, academia, and public sector innovation.

Agenda

14:00–14:15 | Registration and networking

14:15–14:30 | Welcome and introduction

14:30–15:15 | Panel discussion

15:15–15:35 | Q&A

15:35–15:40 | Closing remarks and announcements

15:40–16:00 | Networking

Speakers

Richard Potter: Richard is Director of Digital Strategy at Microsoft, where he advises business leaders on how to create value through digital transformation and innovation.
Dr Christie Pritchard : Christie is an Associate Dean of Education and Student Experience and leads the University's teaching enhancement and innovation initiative. Her research explores generative AI in higher education and she is responsible for leading the University's AI in Education Steering Group.
Matthew Ville: Matthew is the Founder and CTO of Hiyield, which creates websites and digital tools with sustainability in mind. He focuses on user-centred innovation and AI to drive positive impact.
Dr Ben Siu : Ben is a Lecturer in Marketing, and Portfolio Lead in Marketing and Place in Plymouth Business School. Ben focuses on making AI usable in education and business.
Andrew Husband: As CTO and Co-Founder, Andrew is the engineering visionary responsible for architecting and scaling Hertzian's innovative suite of AI products. He translates cutting-edge Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) research into mission-critical, high-performance platforms. Hertzian is an AI and product company that focuses on the analysis of free-text across a wide range of customer channels.