Welcome to the wild world of software and carbon emissions, where the digital infrastructure of organizations is a hungry beast, consuming vast amounts of electricity and leaving a trail of greenhouse gas emissions in its wake. The issue is becoming more pronounced as the world accelerates its adoption of artificial intelligence and businesses increasingly rely on software to drive their operations. Picture a data center, a fortress of technology where much of today's software is housed. These sprawling structures gobble up electricity with reckless abandon, with worldwide consumption estimated to be between 220 to 320 terawatt-hours in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency. That's more power than consumed by entire countries such as South Africa, Sweden, or Egypt.

This week, Microsoft President and vice chair Brad Smith is heading to Egypt for the United Nation's annual climate conference with a mission: show the world that the tech giant is "consistent and committed" in its climate goals, as well as communicate the "vital role" that the tech industry as a whole has to play in battling the climate crisis. The Microsoft leader has been busy in recent months since the departure of chief environmental officer Lucas Joppa, stepping in to lead the company's climate initiatives (something Smith has always been intimately involved with, as Joppa's boss prior to his departure). Last week at the Web Summit tech conference, he spoke about the urgency of the workforce transformation the world needs to reach net zero, as well as the current skills gap. "The key to the future is going to be a new generation of people with a new generation of technology coming from a new generation of companies," he said, highlighting the work of startups like the India-based SEEDS, which is using satellite data and AI to identify homes that would be most susceptible to extreme heat, then helping them adapt. Using AI and data to help the Global South adapt to climate change is one of Microsoft's main focuses going into the COP27 climate talks.