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# The Sustainability Race: AI's Promises, Pitfalls and Potential


- **Date:** Thursday, Jul 9, 2026
- **Time:** 16:50–17:20 (30 min)
- **Room:** Tech Leaders Stage
- **Event:** World Congress 2026 Europe

## Recording

[Watch recording](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100155-the-sustainability-race-ai-s-promises-pitfalls-and-potential)

## Description

AI and sustainability pull in two directions at once - a heavy demand on resources, and a powerful tool for tackling the problems that matter. Leaders from very different corners of industry come together to weigh where that balance really lands. An open conversation about what AI promises here, and what it actually delivers.

## Speakers

### [Alexander Gerfer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@alexander-gerfer)

CTO of Würth Elektronik
### [Gülnaz Öneş](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@gulnaz-ones)

Group CIO of RWE
### [Wolfgang Oels](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@wolfgang-oels)

COO of Ecosia
### [Awi Lifshitz](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/@awi-lifshitz)

CEO of weXelerate


## Related talks at this congress

- [Creating Europe's AI Moment – Now or Never](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1058-creating-europe-s-ai) — Antonella Mei-Pochtler, Thomas Jarzombek, Thomas Saueressig, Jasper Bennink
- [Running AI at Scale: The Secret Ingredients](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1273-running-ai-at-scale) — Boris Hecker, Max Tschochohei, Peter Kürpick, Tomislav Tipurić
- [Physical AI: The Era of Intelligent Machines](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1164-physical-ai-the-era) — Clemens Wasner, Dr. Ramin Hasani, Vinesh Sukumar, Zohar Fox
- [The Last Mile of AI: From Prototype to Production](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/events/world-congress-2026-europe/sessions/1233-the-last-mile-of-ai) — Clemens Wasner, Holger Hammel, Martin Remmelgas, Max Jacobson, Marius Cosareanu