The way companies deploy AI will influence not only their efficiency and creativity, but also their credibility, ESG performance and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Used responsibly, AI can become a powerful driver of sustainability, equity and trust. Used carelessly, it risks undermining the very values brands claim to champion. To provide clarity, Andrew Power, CEO and Founder at Legacy, an ESG consulting company for brands and media organisations, gives us a breakdown of how AI can be leveraged by marketers for better ESG and environmental impact.
AI is advancing at an astonishing pace. Every week brings new breakthroughs, new use cases and new breathless predictions about its potential to transform the global economy. But as AI races ahead, it’s worth pausing to ask: Will it help solve the world’s biggest problems or make them worse?
From climate change and inequality to threats and democracy, AI could either accelerate progress or undermine it. In this snapshot, I’ll explore four major areas of impact: AI’s promise for sustainability, its rising energy demands, the threat of AI-powered misinformation and its disruption of work and livelihoods.
For marketers, these aren’t distant or abstract issues. They cut to the heart of brand relevance, trust and leadership in a volatile, tech-driven world and they tie directly into the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that many companies have publicly pledged to support.
1. AI could supercharge sustainability, if used responsibly
AI is already helping tackle complex environmental and social challenges. It’s optimising energy usage (SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy), streamlining supply chains (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production) and improving product design. These operational advances translate into stronger ESG performance and more credible brand storytelling.
AI is also enabling:
– Smarter logistics that reduce carbon emissions (SDG 13: Climate Action)
– Precision agriculture to boost food security (SDG 2: Zero Hunger)
– Assistive technologies for inclusivity (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities)
– Disaster preparedness and early warning systems (SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities)
It’s becoming an engine for real impact, not just campaign fodder.
Marketers are now part of the sustainability engine. Understanding how AI can reinforce your brand’s commitments to the UNSDGs helps ensure your purpose-led positioning is more than just words.
2. But the AI Boom is fuelling a new sustainability risk
Here’s the paradox: the very technology helping companies address SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) is also threatening to derail them.
The AI boom is driving exponential energy demand. The Financial Times reported that in the United States, AI data centres now use as much electricity as all the country’s solar farms combined and global usage is projected to double by 2026. Even leaders in renewables, like Microsoft and Google, are seeing emissions rise as AI use scales. The International Energy Agency estimates that by 2026, global data centre electricity needs will be more than double 2022 levels, equalling Japan’s current total electricity consumption.
Adding to this, the advertising technology ecosystem alone is estimated to be responsible for roughly 4% of global GHG emissions – this is more than the aviation industry! As AI tools become more deeply embedded in programmatic advertising, targeting and real-time bidding, marketers’ risk further inflating the sector’s already significant carbon footprint.
This energy burden threatens the broader shift to clean power (SDG 7) and risks undercutting progress on net-zero goals (SDG 13). For brands that rely heavily on digital advertising and AI-driven media buying, the contradiction between sustainability messaging and emissions-intensive practices will only grow more glaring.
Climate conscious brands must scrutinise the emissions tied to their AI and ad tech use including creative generation, media optimisation and audience targeting. Auditing these systems is no longer optional; it’s part of brand integrity and UNSDG alignment.
3. Generative AI is driving misinformation and consumer distrust
With generative AI, disinformation can spread faster and more convincingly than ever. AI-generated deepfakes have already influenced elections and public opinion, posing a direct threat to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), which calls for reducing corruption and promoting access to accurate information.
Brands, often trusted more than institutions, play a crucial role in defending truth. Failing to disclose AI-generated content, or enabling its misuse, puts brand integrity and public trust at risk.
At the same time, ethical AI deployment can reinforce SDG 9 (responsible innovation) and SDG 12 (sustainable communication practices).
Transparency is now a brand differentiator. Create clear guidelines for AI content, disclose usage when appropriate and position your brand as a reliable source of clarity in a noisy world.
4. AI is reshaping creative work and the talent model
AI is automating content creation at scale, including video, design and voice, raising major questions about job security and skills displacement (SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth).
The upside? AI could democratise creativity, opening new doors for entrepreneurs and storytellers in underserved communities (SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities and SDG 4: Quality Education, through upskilling).
But brands will need to balance efficiency with equity. Replacing creative talent with algorithms might boost short-term output, but it risks diluting cultural relevance, diversity and emotional depth; all key ingredients of modern brand loyalty.
As you explore AI tools, invest in upskilling teams and supporting fair transitions. A brand that supports sustainable innovation also invests in the people behind the pixels.
5. How Marketers Can Leverage AI to Strengthen ESG: A Practical Guide
If your brand is committed to sustainability, equity and transparency, AI can be a powerful enabler, but only if it’s used with intention.
Use AI to Cut Campaign Emissions (SDGs 7, 12, 13)
Marketers can automate emissions tracking across digital media buys using ESG data tools. By optimising ad placement frequency and avoiding high-carbon inventory, brands can reduce emissions at scale. Choosing media partners and platforms powered by renewable energy further supports low-carbon campaign delivery.
Automate and Improve ESG Reporting (SDGs 9, 12)
AI can help gather and structure ESG data from platforms and internal systems, streamlining workflows. It also enables automated creation of sustainability disclosures for annual reports, investor updates and compliance documents.
Optimise Product and Content Design for Inclusion (SDGs 4, 5, 10)
AI tools can test creative across diverse audience segments and flag potential bias in messaging. Accessibility features like generating alt text, closed captions and adaptive content, can be automated to meet the needs of a broader audience.
Predict and Respond to Social Risk (SDGs 11, 16)
With real-time sentiment analysis, marketers can identify emerging reputational or ESG risks across platforms. Monitoring engagement with sustainability content helps fine-tune messaging and build more meaningful audience relationships.
Make Sustainability Stories Personal and Scalable (SDGs 3, 13, 17)
Generative AI enables brands to personalise sustainability narratives for different audience segments. It can also be used to create dynamic video and data storytelling content that brings ESG impact data to life in human, emotionally resonant ways.
The Bottom Line: AI is a brand strategy issue and a global citizenship test
This isn’t just about growth or creative efficiency. It’s about how your brand engages with some of the biggest questions facing society and whether your actions support or undermine your stated values.
The United Nations SDGs are a global call to action. AI is a tool that can accelerate progress toward those goals or throw us off course.
Will your brand use AI to align with a regenerative, inclusive and net-positive future or to simply move faster, regardless of consequence? The answer will define not only your marketing strategy, but your own relevance in the world to come.
