Artificial Intelligence:
Resonating with Reason

AI must resonate with your company, your business, and your challenges. It is an essential asset for the future.

At Sopra Steria, we believe that AI, particularly generative AI, should not replace your employees but “augment” them: optimizing time, transforming processes, automating repetitive tasks… Simply put: energizing your collective intelligence.

Our role is to guide companies in identifying the problems that AI can address, whether in customer relations, production processes or prevention. We help deploy AI strategies at the organisational level and advise on instances where this technology can have the best impact.

For example, in the banking sector, our virtual agents optimize customer support by providing quick and personalized responses. In the aerospace industry, we reinvent the supply chain with advanced management of stocks and delivery times. In terms of prevention and security, AI can detect threats through predictive analysis. With over 4,000 experts, we ensure an ethical and responsible use of AI: respecting democratic principles, strengthened by our cybersecurity skills.

We work towards AI that is accessible to all, reasonable, and rational, a driver of progress for both Humanity and the Planet.

 

Generative AI – A $100bn market by 2028 according to Sopra Steria Next

According to a study carried out by Sopra Steria Next, the generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) market is set to grow exponentially between now and 2028.

Read more

Supporting our clients’ AI goals

We support our clients throughout the development and deployment of their AI strategy, from evaluating their existing data management and digital infrastructure through to conceptualising and realising their new AI ambitions.

 

Our strategy is built around four core pillars:

Why our clients choose us

 

Expertise

4,000 Data and AI experts, scientists, engineers, strategists and architects in 30 countries

 

Solutions

From nAIxus to InnerData, leverage our cutting-edge AI tech

 

Partnerships

Take advantage of a vast AI ecosystem

Our news

| Andrew Grigg

Sustainable AI: Getting the environmental balance right
With the environmental impact of AI now hitting public awareness it’s vital that organisations implement sustainable AI practises.

| Neil Gladstone

From tool to coworker: what true agentic AI means for you
AI is becoming a coworker, and organisations need to adjust their thinking to thrive in the era of human-AI collaboration. 

| María José Tellez

How ethical design can overcome the challenges of AI
AI is here to stay but brings with it challenges that ethical design can help to overcome.   

AI & environment: Sopra Steria reveals that the environmental impact of AI is becoming invisible and calls for common and transparent measurement standards

Jul 15, 2025, 14:16 PM
Title* : AI & environment: Sopra Steria reveals that the environmental impact of AI is becoming invisible and calls for common and transparent measurement standards
  • Sopra Steria unveils its report "AI & the Environment: clearing the information fog" - an unprecedented analysis of narrative biases, heterogeneous measurement methods and new management tools - and calls for a sober and transparent approach to regulate the entire life cycle of AI. 
  • Although the massive adoption of generative AI is considerably amplifying the environmental footprint of digital technology, this subject remains largely under-discussed: only 0.56% of online conversations and 2.4% of media articles concerning AI mention its link with the climate. 
  • Beyond this observation, Sopra Steria advocates a third way: neither naïve solutionism nor ideological rejection, but sober, reasoned AI designed to last. 

Paris, 26 June 2025 - Faced with the exponential adoption of generative artificial intelligence, Sopra Steria, a major player in European tech and a trusted partner for ethical AI, today publishes its second report dedicated to the fight against information: "AI & Environment: clearing the information fog". After a first opus devoted to misinformation, this new report unveils a part that is often neglected: the real environmental impact of AI. 

The environmental footprint of AI, a public and media blind spot 

At a time when global data centre consumption could almost triple by 2030 (from 415 TWh in 2024 to over 940 TWh according to the IEA), the rise of AI is amplifying an already critical energy dynamic. Technology giants such as Microsoft and Google have seen their CO₂ emissions jump by +30% and +48% respectively in recent years, illustrating the environmental cost of poorly controlled innovation. 

Yet this cost remains surprisingly absent from the debates. Sopra Steria, drawing on the social listening expertise of Opsci.ai, analysed more than 800,000 messages published on X and LinkedIn between January 2024 and April 2025: only 0.56% mention the ecological impact of AI - three times less than for cryptocurrency. As for the media, out of nearly 22,000 articles on AI, barely 2.4% focus on its environmental impact, often with a techno-solutionism narrative that plays down the risks. Even the AI leaders identified by Time Magazine do not consider climate a priority - on analysis of their publications, the subject only comes in 8ᵉ position, well behind innovation or productivity. 

However, a detailed analysis of the data and conversations shows a growing polarisation in the debate: technophiles promote AI as a universal solution, while technophobes reject all progress out of hand.  

Between these two extremes, the scientific community, which is essential for objectivising the debate, often finds itself instrumentalised or invisible, a sign of wider distrust of scientific expertise in the public arena, the politicisation of debates and the amplification of misinformation. 

Axelle Lemaire, Executive Director of Sustainable Performance at Sopra Steria, says: "Who hasn't fallen for the 'magic' of AI? However, this study highlights a worrying paradox: while the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence is increasing, the correlation between AI and climate change remains largely absent from public and media discourse. This invisibility is amplified by the logic at work around climate disinformation, mistrust of science and ideological polarisation, not to mention the huge financial stakes involved. All of this contributes to maintaining opacity, preventing lucid debate and taking us further away from the objectives set by the Paris Agreement. We urgently need to get out of this fog of information about the impact of AI and demand transparent measurement methods and standards, so that more sober, useful and reasonable uses emerge, in line with the climate challenges of our time". 

Clearing the fog: the need for common tools and reliable indicators 

At a time when the mass adoption of AI and generative AI is intensifying, this relative invisibility is compounded by a crying lack of standardised methods for assessing and monitoring the environmental impact of digital technologies. This methodological vagueness hinders the adoption of more sober solutions, complicates the implementation of common standards and makes it difficult to be transparent with customers and regulators. 

In this context, Sopra Steria is therefore calling for the alignment of measurement standards at European level and the widespread use of transparent, verifiable and comparable indicators, to integrate digital sobriety into the design of technologies.  

   

Taking concrete action: a collective commitment to sustainable AI

Today, the lack of harmonised standards hinders objective comparisons between models and delays the adoption of more sober solutions. In response, Sopra Steria is actively supporting the construction of common benchmarks, supported by concrete regulatory and sector initiatives: the REEN Act, a pioneering framework for data centre transparency; the European AI Act, which imposes environmental reporting obligations for high-risk AI; and the Coalition for Sustainable AI, a group of players committed to more responsible and measurable artificial intelligence. 

At the same time, the Group is developing practical tools: EcoMind AI, to anticipate the environmental footprint of AI models right from the design stage, and G4IT to quantify the overall carbon impact of information systems. These systems are part of an impact ROI strategy, which integrates social and environmental benefits into the assessment of AI projects. 

Sopra Steria defends a balanced approach: refusing the alternative between a naïve solutionism and a pure and simple rejection of technology. The company is committed to AI that is useful, measurable and responsible.  

Yves Nicolas, Director of the Sopra Steria Group's AI programme, concludes: "Artificial intelligence can no longer be thought of in isolation from its impacts, including environmental impacts. The development of responsible AI should not be an option, but a collective requirement. At Sopra Steria, we are convinced that it is by integrating sobriety criteria right from the design phase that we will be able to reconcile technological innovation and ecological transition. This requires reliable indicators, greater transparency and constant dialogue with all our stakeholders - three requirements that are part of our AI roadmap". 

The full report is available HERE

Tags :
Sopra Steria_PR AI environment report_FINAL EN (1)

Client story

How AI is powering support services for EDF employees
World leader in low-carbon energy generation EDF wanted an innovative tech solution to ease pressure on IT support teams while also boosting service quality. AMY was the answer. 
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Press Release

AI & environment: Sopra Steria reveals that the environmental impact of AI is becoming invisible and calls for common and transparent measurement standards

Jul 15, 2025, 14:16 PM
Title* : AI & environment: Sopra Steria reveals that the environmental impact of AI is becoming invisible and calls for common and transparent measurement standards
  • Sopra Steria unveils its report "AI & the Environment: clearing the information fog" - an unprecedented analysis of narrative biases, heterogeneous measurement methods and new management tools - and calls for a sober and transparent approach to regulate the entire life cycle of AI. 
  • Although the massive adoption of generative AI is considerably amplifying the environmental footprint of digital technology, this subject remains largely under-discussed: only 0.56% of online conversations and 2.4% of media articles concerning AI mention its link with the climate. 
  • Beyond this observation, Sopra Steria advocates a third way: neither naïve solutionism nor ideological rejection, but sober, reasoned AI designed to last. 

Paris, 26 June 2025 - Faced with the exponential adoption of generative artificial intelligence, Sopra Steria, a major player in European tech and a trusted partner for ethical AI, today publishes its second report dedicated to the fight against information: "AI & Environment: clearing the information fog". After a first opus devoted to misinformation, this new report unveils a part that is often neglected: the real environmental impact of AI. 

The environmental footprint of AI, a public and media blind spot 

At a time when global data centre consumption could almost triple by 2030 (from 415 TWh in 2024 to over 940 TWh according to the IEA), the rise of AI is amplifying an already critical energy dynamic. Technology giants such as Microsoft and Google have seen their CO₂ emissions jump by +30% and +48% respectively in recent years, illustrating the environmental cost of poorly controlled innovation. 

Yet this cost remains surprisingly absent from the debates. Sopra Steria, drawing on the social listening expertise of Opsci.ai, analysed more than 800,000 messages published on X and LinkedIn between January 2024 and April 2025: only 0.56% mention the ecological impact of AI - three times less than for cryptocurrency. As for the media, out of nearly 22,000 articles on AI, barely 2.4% focus on its environmental impact, often with a techno-solutionism narrative that plays down the risks. Even the AI leaders identified by Time Magazine do not consider climate a priority - on analysis of their publications, the subject only comes in 8ᵉ position, well behind innovation or productivity. 

However, a detailed analysis of the data and conversations shows a growing polarisation in the debate: technophiles promote AI as a universal solution, while technophobes reject all progress out of hand.  

Between these two extremes, the scientific community, which is essential for objectivising the debate, often finds itself instrumentalised or invisible, a sign of wider distrust of scientific expertise in the public arena, the politicisation of debates and the amplification of misinformation. 

Axelle Lemaire, Executive Director of Sustainable Performance at Sopra Steria, says: "Who hasn't fallen for the 'magic' of AI? However, this study highlights a worrying paradox: while the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence is increasing, the correlation between AI and climate change remains largely absent from public and media discourse. This invisibility is amplified by the logic at work around climate disinformation, mistrust of science and ideological polarisation, not to mention the huge financial stakes involved. All of this contributes to maintaining opacity, preventing lucid debate and taking us further away from the objectives set by the Paris Agreement. We urgently need to get out of this fog of information about the impact of AI and demand transparent measurement methods and standards, so that more sober, useful and reasonable uses emerge, in line with the climate challenges of our time". 

Clearing the fog: the need for common tools and reliable indicators 

At a time when the mass adoption of AI and generative AI is intensifying, this relative invisibility is compounded by a crying lack of standardised methods for assessing and monitoring the environmental impact of digital technologies. This methodological vagueness hinders the adoption of more sober solutions, complicates the implementation of common standards and makes it difficult to be transparent with customers and regulators. 

In this context, Sopra Steria is therefore calling for the alignment of measurement standards at European level and the widespread use of transparent, verifiable and comparable indicators, to integrate digital sobriety into the design of technologies.  

   

Taking concrete action: a collective commitment to sustainable AI

Today, the lack of harmonised standards hinders objective comparisons between models and delays the adoption of more sober solutions. In response, Sopra Steria is actively supporting the construction of common benchmarks, supported by concrete regulatory and sector initiatives: the REEN Act, a pioneering framework for data centre transparency; the European AI Act, which imposes environmental reporting obligations for high-risk AI; and the Coalition for Sustainable AI, a group of players committed to more responsible and measurable artificial intelligence. 

At the same time, the Group is developing practical tools: EcoMind AI, to anticipate the environmental footprint of AI models right from the design stage, and G4IT to quantify the overall carbon impact of information systems. These systems are part of an impact ROI strategy, which integrates social and environmental benefits into the assessment of AI projects. 

Sopra Steria defends a balanced approach: refusing the alternative between a naïve solutionism and a pure and simple rejection of technology. The company is committed to AI that is useful, measurable and responsible.  

Yves Nicolas, Director of the Sopra Steria Group's AI programme, concludes: "Artificial intelligence can no longer be thought of in isolation from its impacts, including environmental impacts. The development of responsible AI should not be an option, but a collective requirement. At Sopra Steria, we are convinced that it is by integrating sobriety criteria right from the design phase that we will be able to reconcile technological innovation and ecological transition. This requires reliable indicators, greater transparency and constant dialogue with all our stakeholders - three requirements that are part of our AI roadmap". 

The full report is available HERE

Tags :
Sopra Steria_PR AI environment report_FINAL EN (1)

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