The Hidden Cost of Intelligence: Building AI That Doesn't Drain the Planet

AI is transforming our world, but at what environmental cost? Every ChatGPT query, every model training run, every data center humming with GPUs demands massive amounts of water and energy that most users never see.

Join the Green Software Foundation for a critical conversation with the practitioners making AI's environmental footprint visible, measurable, and actionable.

From municipal water accountability tools to carbon-aware Kubernetes scheduling to the policy frameworks funding sustainable deep tech, our panelists bridge grassroots activism, infrastructure engineering, and national innovation strategy.

Whether you're a climate tech founder navigating tradeoffs, an engineer seeking sustainable defaults, or a citizen wondering what that new data center means for your community—this discussion translates AI sustainability from buzzword to blueprint.

Speakers

Masheika Allgood is an AI Ethicist, educator, and the Founder of AllAI Consulting and the Taps Run Dry Initiative. As part of the Taps Run Dry Initiative, Masheika developed the world's first Data Center Water Consumption Calculator and the Questions to Ask When Your City is Building a Data Center Community Protection Toolkit. She currently serves as the water subject matter expert in the IEEE P7100 - Environmental Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Working Group. Masheika holds an LL.M in Litigation and Dispute Resolution from the George Washington University School of Law, a Juris Doctorate from Florida State University, and a Masters in International Business from Florida International University

Dave Masselink is the Founder of Compute Gardener, a company developing an open-source, Kubernetes scheduler which makes it easier to adopt carbon-aware computing practices at the cloud infrastructure layer. He has previously worked at Tesla Energy (grid telemetry & VPPs), Intuit (developer platform, cloud) and Google X's Tapestry project (AI assisted utility planning and simulation tools). Dave co-organizes the Green Software Foundation's SF Bay Area chapter. He writes and speaks regularly on carbon-aware computing, ML training's footprints and what it takes to move beyond ESG talking points towards more sustainable engineering defaults.

Linda Molnar is a deep-tech Innovation Leader and Investor, and former National Science Foundation's Convergence Accelerator Director. At the NSF, she pioneered cross-sector funding programs including Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges, Equitable Water Solutions, and the Networked Blue Economy, with investments exceeding $100M. She represented NSF at the White House Net Zero Game Changers Working Group and, through the US State Department, led US-EU semiconductor collaboration initiatives. Linda's expertise spans AI, quantum, semiconductors, biotechnology, and emerging technologies. She holds a Ph.D. from MIT with executive training from Harvard Business School and Wharton.

Moderator

Nolwenn Godard is a Product veteran (ex-PayPal, ex-Sofi), appointed by California's Governor to lead the Office of Data and Innovation, where she created the State’s first executive order on Generative Artificial Intelligence. She is the founder of Carbon 2C - a digital sustainability practice forwarding more efficient, resilient, and sustainable technology. She is the co-author of "Sustainable by Design: A Playbook for Product Managers", co-organizes the Green Software Foundation's SF Bay Area chapter and leads Green IOUS. Nolwenn holds an MBA from leading ESSEC business school in France and was recognized as one of Silicon Valley's Top 100 Women of Influence in 2018.