AI: Progress or Planet?

​AI's environmental impact presents a genuine paradox: the same technology consuming electricity at the scale of small countries is also optimizing solar farms, accelerating climate research, and helping us develop new battery materials. This session we'll examine both sides of the equation—the real costs and the genuine benefits—so we can make more thoughtful decisions about when and how to deploy these powerful tools.

​You may be tracking your own carbon footprint, running a business balancing efficiency with environmental responsibility, or simply curious about what's actually happening behind the headlines. Whatever your situation, come join us for a data-driven conversation about navigating AI's environmental tradeoffs. We'll explore practical frameworks for aligning our technology choices with our values.

​Today's session will feature a fireside chat with Ray Boyle, who has been grappling with this puzzle for years. Ray is a systems designer who connects unlikely fields—from AI ethics to Indigenous land stewardship. As Inaugural Fellow at Regenesis Institute, former UNDP City Experiment Fund leader, and VP of Build It Green's Board, she helps ecologically-minded communities navigate the tension between embracing technology and staying true to regenerative principles.

​Bring your questions, skepticism, and curiosity. 5:30pm roundtable followed by drinks and mixing.