GoKawiilWorld Economic Forum’s “Green by Design” playbook sounds like the perfect roadmap to a future of sustainable AI: electricity-conscious data centers, economic cooling that needs as little water as possible, and sustainable heavy minerals supply chains.
But what one of the most prestigious think thanks in the world is missing is that you can’t have sustainability without a social plan, one that goes beyond vague statements like “governance guardrails.” Why can’t you? Because sustainability, as defined by the United Nations, means that “development today does not negatively affect future generations,” i.e. the human component is central and must be accounted for in the now and tomorrow.
While there’s nothing wrong with resource efficiency today (it would actually be welcome since people are facing increased risk of power outages), you can’t use sustainability to justify it, not if you don’t have a plan for the people whose jobs get redesigned, or entirely automated along the way.
So what can you call it? Well, some say AI washing is a more appropriate term, since you’re using it to excuse massive layoffs and restructurings without any backlash. If efficiency is your only metric and you’re aggressively cutting costs and putting the pressure on the communities where these jobs are disappearing. You’re not designing a sustainable AI roadmap, you’re borderline anti-social.
Of course most jobs will be transformed, nobody’s arguing with that. But coming out
This year’s annual meeting in Davos
Vlad is currently Techreport's in-house Head of Content, leading editorial strategy and content teams across verticals such as PC hardware, components, peripherals, and various parts, ensuring each piece of content is user-first and factually grounded. He sees meeting user intent, usefulness, and storytelling as instrumental to good content. Read more Vlad has published as an academic in indexed journals, and his higher education background, a BA in English and Comparative Literature and an MA in Irish Studies, deeply informs his work. These disciplines sharpened his approach to semantics, narrative structure, and academic rigor, enabling him to craft content that is both accurate and resonates with readers. His academic foundation proves especially valuable when handling sensitive YMYL topics, such as the legality of marketing claims, where clarity, nuance, and responsibility are critical. He's particularly focused on identifying best-value PC components, the purchases that are likely to deliver the most features at a given price point, as he firmly believes most consumers would benefit from knowing what constitutes a value buy before committing substantial amounts of money to a PC build. He worked for over 3 years in cybersecurity, with Kape Technologies, and has over a decade of total experience in tech content. Some of his work has been featured on trusted platforms like CyberGhost’s Privacy Hub, where he explored emerging threats in cybersecurity and educated readers on digital safety. Vlas was also featured on WebsitePlanet, where he reviewed consumer-friendly hosting services. During his time as a freelancer, he attained Top-Rated Plus status on Upwork, which reflects his consistency in delivering results-oriented expert content solutions for a variety of industries and applications. From building entire editorial pipelines to long-form writing, his overarching goal is to craft content that empowers users with clear, intuitive, and timely information, reducing friction and enhancing trust at every step of the search journey. For him, computer hardware is a passion, and testament this fact is that neither he nor his wife ever owned a prebuilt PC. He's also an advocate of online privacy, and strongly believes in the open-source, scarce-money nature of certain cryptos. When he’s not working, he’s traveling with his partner and their cat, learning Python, or reading good books. Vlad also finds it difficult to turn down a hearty, home-cooked vegan meal. Read less View all articles by Vlad Melnic
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