CivAI makes the environmental impact of AI visible

AI should not only be safe, responsible, and human-centred. It must also be transparent about its impact on our living environment.

That is why, within our AI environments, we are making the environmental impact of AI usage more visible. In EduGPT, and in due course also within GovGPT, OrgGPT, and CareGPT, we display indicative meters for CO₂ emissions and water consumption beneath AI responses.

This makes visible something that often remains hidden: digital technology also has a physical footprint.

In 2025, Kennisnet published the study Klimaat en rekenkracht (“Climate and Computing Power”), carried out by Berenschot. This research examined the environmental impact of AI usage in education. The results show that large-scale AI usage can have a significant impact on water consumption, electricity consumption, and CO₂ emissions. The study is not an argument for or against AI, but above all an invitation to make more conscious choices.

We take that invitation seriously.

At CivAI, we believe that sustainable AI starts with awareness, but should not end there. It also requires conscious design choices, more efficient model usage, European hosting, transparency, governance, and collaboration with partners who take sustainability seriously.

That is why we work together with European and sustainable partners such as Scaleway. Scaleway reports transparently on energy efficiency, water usage, CO₂ impact, and hardware reuse. This aligns with our vision of AI: powerful and innovative, but also responsible, explainable, and future-proof.

Whether it concerns EduGPT for education, GovGPT for government, OrgGPT for organisations, or CareGPT for healthcare: we want users not only to receive good answers, but also to gain insight into the impact of the technology they use.

For us, sustainability is part of digital sovereignty. Not only knowing where your data is stored, but also how your technology is designed, hosted, and used.

Especially in an age of AI, progress is not just about working faster. It is about thinking better, making more conscious choices, and developing technology that takes people, organisations, and the environment seriously.