The Leeds Sustainability Case Competition: Business Students Tackle AI鈥檚 Energy Challenge
The annual Leeds Sustainability Case Competition brought together 39 teams from top business schools to develop solutions for sustainability challenges in the age of artificial intelligence.
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As AI technology expands, its energy consumption is growing exponentially, raising urgent sustainability concerns. How can companies embrace AI without compromising environmental responsibility?
That was the central challenge that MBA students from institutions like the University of California, Berkeley (Haas), The University of Chicago (Booth), Duke University (Fuqua) and Columbia tackled at this year鈥檚 Leeds Sustainability Case Competition.
兔子先生传媒文化作品鈥檚 "For the Bees" team from the Masters of the Environment (MENV) program took first place, while Leeds鈥 "The Green Beans" team secured second place.
鈥淎ddressing environmental sustainability will be crucial for businesses over the next decade,鈥 said Vijay Khatri, Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean of the Leeds School of Business. 鈥淟eeds is at the forefront of highlighting how sustainability is not only a competitive advantage for business, but also an opportunity to drive innovative solutions to global challenges.鈥
A legacy of sustainability at Leeds
鈥淔or 25 years, the Leeds School of Business has prioritized sustainability, ethics and social responsibility, and our students come here because of that focus,鈥 said Mike Leeds (Fin鈥74).
Since 2001, the Leeds Sustainability Case Competition鈥攆ormerly known as the Net Impact Case Competition鈥攈as provided students with real-world business challenges focused on sustainability. The competition brings together graduate students, executives and businesses that share a common commitment to business practices that yield positive social, environmental and financial returns.
A unique opportunity for future business leaders
鈥淭his competition is a unique opportunity because students work in cross-functional teams, collaborating with peers from different disciplines to develop innovative solutions to sustainability-related challenges,鈥 said Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Leeds听Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility.
With AI rapidly transforming industries, this year's competition demonstrated how business leaders can balance technological progress with environmental priorities. In addition to fostering an environment of creative problem-solving, the annual event also strengthens students鈥 professional networks, giving them essential connections as they become next-generation business leaders.