Put Sustainable AI Use Into Practice

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

• Assess your AI-use habits across sustainable-use practices.
  
• Apply sustainable AI practices to common AI-use scenarios.
  
• Identify specific changes that can make your AI use more sustainable and effective.
  

Start with Intention

You’ve explored how the choices you make—from choosing a tool and model to shaping your request—can affect the resources AI requires. Now you can bring those choices together with a quick check each time you use AI.

Before you send your next prompt, ask yourself three questions.

• Choose: Is AI needed for this task? If so, am I using the right tool and model?
  
• Focus: Is my request specific, with only the context that matters?
  
• Constrain: Did I specify the format, length, and tone I need?
  

If the answer is yes to all three, send your prompt.

Check Your AI Use

Your recent AI interactions can reveal patterns in how you use AI. If your AI tool has access to your recent interactions, ask it to identify opportunities to make your usage more sustainable and effective.

Try a prompt like this.

Analyze my recent AI interactions across these three practices.
Right-size the task: Am I using the right tools and models for my tasks? Are there times when AI isn't needed or another AI tool would be a better fit?
Prompt intentionally: Are my prompts clear and specific? Do I overexplain, underspecify, or iterate excessively? Do I specify context, output format, length, and tone upfront?
Build sustainable habits: Do I stop unnecessary output, keep conversations focused, batch related requests, and create reusable tasks?
Give me three specific, actionable recommendations to improve the sustainability and quality of my AI use. Be direct and ground your recommendations in what you actually see.

Review the recommendations and identify changes you can put into practice.

Apply What You Know

Sustainable AI choices depend on the task, the context, and what you need from AI. Sometimes the better choice is obvious. Other times, it takes a little thought.

Consider how you would respond to each of these common AI scenarios. Click on each card to reveal a more sustainable approach.

Become an AI Sustainability Champion

Sustainable habits can spread through example. Help make the sustainable choice an easy, normal choice for your team.

• Model it: Lead by example by explaining your workflow choices, such as selecting a particular model or optimizing a prompt to get an accurate answer on the first try. Show your team the practical, productivity-boosting benefits firsthand.
  
• Create a culture of sharing: Normalize peer-to-peer learning by building a recurring moment to exchange what works, like rotating “prompt of the week” in a team channel or sharing effective tools for common tasks.
  
• Build a team playbook: Turn your team’s best prompts, tools, skills, and practices into one go-to resource, and share it widely.
  
• Get leadership on board: Frame sustainable AI alongside business outcomes like efficiency and productivity to gain leadership buy-in. Advocate to embed sustainable habits visibly in processes, tools, and workflows.
  
• Translate the value: Drive cross-functional adoption by connecting sustainable AI practices to the specific goals of different teams. Whether you talk to engineers, marketers, or finance leads, frame efficiency and token reduction around the outcomes they care about—such as faster response times, cleaner code, or reduced operational costs—and use the language that resonates best with them.
  
• Take action: Pick one habit from this badge, and share it with your team this week.
  

Summary

Sustainable AI use comes down to using it with greater intention. The choices you make can help reduce AI’s impact on the environment while also making your AI use more effective.

As AI continues to evolve, the practices in this badge can help you make thoughtful choices about how you use it and the resources your choices require. Small changes today can become sustainable habits that help shape a more responsible future with AI.