Salesforce to trial green AI tools to help companies fast-track their journey to net zero

Salesforce is set to trial green AI tools with an Australian AI institute to see how it can help businesses reach their goal of net zero emissions sooner.

The company will combine its Net Zero Cloud with AI tools supplied by the Australian Institute for Machine Learning (AIML) and Green Industries SA (GISA), the government’s green economy department.

The entities said they will launch a pilot with this technology to deliver sophisticated tools and data sources required by companies to reduce their carbon emissions and take climate action.

This comes as part of a memorandum of understanding between the South Australia government and Salesforce to help businesses in the region reach their goal of net zero emissions sooner. The agreement is the first collaboration of its kind globally for Salesforce Net Zero Cloud, said the government.

As part of this, the cloud giant will also set up a technology staff hub at Lot Fourteen, a technology precinct in Adelaide.

The government added that Salesforce’s collaboration with AIML and GISA will support its transparency and accounting towards decarbonisation across the sector, along with establishing a framework to support private sector utilisation across the state.

“Having just committed to net 100% renewable energy by 2030 and net zero by 2050 as part of our Climate Change Action Plan 2021-25, Salesforce’s commitment to Adelaide demonstrates they are willing to be a foundational part of this vision and will help create high tech sustainability jobs for the future,” said premier Steven Marshall.

He added that South Australia is a beacon in attracting global high tech companies to Adelaide, with the likes of Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and Accenture committing to operations in the state.

"We are proud to put technology in the hands of our customers so they can make meaningful decisions about climate action and are excited to partner with the government of South Australia to help them reach their climate goals,” said Salesforce head of global distribution Net Zero Cloud, Tyler Harnish.

Salesforce said it created Net Zero Cloud to help organisations easily track, analyse, and report reliable environmental data. It claims that it transforms a complex process of carbon accounting that could take months into one that takes just weeks.