New Digital Connectivity Forum Paper explores how AI can accelerate Net Zero in the UK telecoms sector

The Digital Connectivity Forum (DCF) has today launched its new whitepaper, AI for Sustainability: Accelerating Net Zero in the UK Telecoms Sector, which explores how AI can help the telecoms industry reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and meet increasingly demanding regulatory and investor expectations. AI has arrived and continues to gather pace as it rapidly cements itself into the fabric of daily life, including as a rising topic across business agendas for its optimisation potential.

This rapid change brings both questions and opportunities.

• How can AI support sustainable outcomes and accelerate net zero pathways?
• How can it be integrated responsibly, safely and sustainably?
• How can we fully harness its positive potential?

The report explores the dual role of AI: as a powerful enabler of sustainability, and as a technology whose own environmental footprint must be carefully managed.

Drawing on case studies, the report identifies six domains including:

• Energy Optimisation: AI solutions like network load balancing and predictive cooling to reduce energy consumption in towers and data centres.
• Customer Carbon Reporting: AI models to estimate Scope 3 emissions and help customers understand and reduce their impact.
• Upskilling for Sustainability Literacy: AI-powered tools to personalise sustainability education and promote behavioural change.
• Scope 3 & Supply Chain: AI utilisation to enhance supplier profiling, lifecycle emissions analysis, and procurement efficiency.
• Sustainability Decision-Making: AI support for infrastructure planning and operational efficiency, reducing emissions and resource use.
• Climate Resilience & Adaptation: AI enablement of predictive modelling and real-time climate and weather monitoring to anticipate and mitigate risks.

It also explores key recommendations to delivering AI results responsibly including six practical levers that organisations can utilise to embed sustainability into their AI journey. These centre around:

• Governance for Sustainable AI: Establishing cross functional oversight and ethical standards.
• Developing the right data and technology foundations: Building scalable, trustworthy, and efficient data platforms.
• Embedding ‘sustainable by design’ within AI development: Embedding ESG principles into AI design and prioritising energy-efficient models.
• Assessing AI’s environmental impact: Using tools and methodologies to assess and report AI’s footprint.
• Mitigating AI’s environmental impact: Optimising models, hardware, and infrastructure to reduce energy and carbon intensity.
• Educating employees on Sustainable AI: Upskilling teams across roles and lifecycle stages to embed sustainability into AI.

The paper concludes with a call for positive action, strategic investment, and sector-wide ambition to fully realise AI’s potential in sustainability. This process will involve exploring and prioritising use cases whilst pulling the levers for sustainable AI implementation.

The paper forms part of the ongoing work of the DCF’s Climate & Sustainability working group, which has undertaken multiple projects anchored around improving industry collaboration to ensure that the telecoms and connectivity sector can be a leader in sustainable practices both within itself and supporting decarbonisation across other sectors and society.

Alex Mather, Head of the Digital Connectivity Forum said:
“AI has a critical role to play in helping the telecoms sector deliver Net Zero, improve resilience and unlock long-term value. This paper makes clear that success depends on a dual approach – using AI to drive sustainability outcomes while ensuring AI itself is deployed responsibly and sustainably. We hope this report provides a practical roadmap for industry leaders and policymakers alike”