What building egni.ai taught us about AI opportunities.
In 2026, artificial intelligence is no longer an emerging technology, it is being used across sectors and organisations that are investing in AI to improve productivity, enhance decision-making, and create new forms of innovation.
Through developing egni.ai, a project focused on using AI to support businesses in reducing their carbon emissions, it’s become clear is that the biggest opportunities in AI are not always the most obvious ones.
One of the most significant opportunities shaping the AI landscape is its ability to bridge the gap between data and action.
Many organisations have a lot of data and there is not enough clarity on how to use it effectively. This is true in areas like sustainability and net zero, where data can be complex and difficult to interpret.
Through egni.ai, we’ve focused on using AI to simplify this complexity, translating environmental data into insights that businesses can actually use. Whether it’s understanding the impact of business travel or improving recycling practices, the goal is to make decision-making simpler and give businesses the opportunity to take the first steps on their journey to net zero.
The most interesting area of this project is how AI can influence behaviour.
egni.ai has been developed in collaboration with 42able, combining technical AI expertise with our focus on sustainability. This partnership has been key in shaping a platform that is not only technically robust, but also practical and accessible for businesses.
In our experience, simply presenting information is not enough to drive change. People need to be able to interact with it, question it, and apply it to their own context.
This project has demonstrated how AI can be used to personalise information, deliver instant actions and recommendations, and help businesses begin their journey towards more sustainable practices.
One of the biggest challenges I’ve seen through egni.ai is what happens next. Businesses can input their data, explore their impact, and receive tailored reports with suggested actions and recommendations. From a technical perspective, the AI is doing exactly what it’s designed to do.
But the real question is: What do organisations do with that information?
Many organisations still face barriers around time, resource, confidence, or simply knowing where to start. This is where AI reaches its limit as it can inform decisions, but it can’t always implement them. It can highlight opportunities, but it doesn’t replace the need for context, experience, and human judgement.
That’s where the role of us at M-SParc becomes essential. By combining AI-generated insights with practical expertise, collaboration, and support, we can help bridge the gap between understanding and action. It’s not about replacing people with technology, it’s about using AI as a starting point.
AI is being positioned as a key enabler of net zero, however, AI itself has an environmental footprint, and this creates a challenge for organisations.
How do we use AI to drive sustainability, while also being mindful of its impact?
With egni.ai, this is something we’ve been conscious of in how the platform is designed. The system is not continuously running at full capacity, and the platform runs when a user is engaging with the platform and closes down when not in use. This helps reduce unnecessary energy consumption while still delivering value to users when they need it.
Maybe there isn’t an answer, but it reinforces the need for intentional and responsible adoption.
Being part of wider conversations around AI, particularly through initiatives like the Digital Leaders AI Impact Awards, it has highlighted just how diverse the landscape has become.
We are looking forward t 0 seeing egni.ai to expand and how we can develop the platform to specific sectors as AI is allowing us to be more personal and applicable to otherwise difficult to calculate sectors.
From my experience working on egni.ai, the next phase of AI adoption will be defined by how well we bridge the gap between insight and implementation.
Molly on the Sustainable AI panel at the AI Impact Awards March 2026
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