Responsible digital technology is entering a new phase: that of measurement and scaling up. At the GreenTech Forum 2025, researchers, associations, municipalities, and companies converged on a common goal: to make digital technology measurable and governed, in order to move from words to action.

1. AI: Towards Frugal Intelligence

An integral part of digital technology, AI is drawing increasing attention:

“No need to use a bazooka to kill a fly,” smiles Audrey Herblin-Stoop (Mistral AI).
Behind the phrase lies a simple idea: AI should be used with discernment. This involves more education, greater transparency, and appropriate choices. There’s no need for a giant, energy-hungry model when a lighter tool will do. Consciously adopting AI also means raising awareness among teams so they understand the environmental impacts and make relevant choices on a daily basis.

2. Skills: Training for Sustainable Transformation

On the skills side, the momentum is accelerating. Responsible digital transformation relies on upskilling teams—from leadership to technical roles. Companies are now rolling out integrated training programs: workshops, e-learning, ambassador initiatives. To engage teams, the most effective formats are often the most participatory: murals, workshops, or challenges that encourage learning and inspire action. The key is to connect these initiatives to the overall strategy, moving from awareness to practice. As early as 2026, the most advanced organizations plan to embed these skills into their internal development pathways.

3. Accessibility: Inclusion as a Design Standard

Already a driver of innovation and user experience, accessibility has benefited since 2025 from a strengthened regulatory framework with the European Accessibility Act.
Adopted from the design phase, it encourages teams to rethink journeys, tools, and platforms. Its adoption relies on awareness and training, as it is a long-term approach.

For Nathalie Otte (Decathlon), the issue plays out over time: “Green IT is a marathon, not a sprint.”

This long-term approach aligns regulatory requirements, user experience, and social responsibility. Inclusion is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a criterion for sustainable performance.

4. Data: Governance to Reduce the Footprint 

Data is one of the key areas for digital sobriety. Whether in private companies, government bodies, or public sector organizations, all are aiming to reduce stored volumes while improving quality and security. Moving away from GAFAM, streamlining data flows, and strengthening governance are all actions that combine sovereignty with environmental impact.

But reducing the data footprint also means regaining control over how data is used. This involves carefully chosen hosting solutions, more precise flow management, and educating teams to strengthen digital responsibility at every level.

A clear and shared data policy thus becomes the foundation of sustainable governance, balancing security, performance, and sobriety.

5. Measurement: Making AI Indicators More Reliable

The ability to measure progress is becoming a marker of maturity. For Denis Trystram (Inria, Université Grenoble Alpes), measurement is not an end in itself, but a tool to support progress. Life cycle analysis tools and open-source platforms are multiplying, but methodologies still vary.

European stakeholders are working toward a common framework to ensure comparability and reliability. This standardization will make it possible to assess the environmental impact of GenAI on a shared basis—an increasingly critical issue in responsible digital technology.

Experts are advocating for a more comprehensive measurement of AI. The first priority: analyzing impact across the entire life cycle, from production to use and end-of-life.
The second challenge: shifting from a CO₂-centered approach to a multi-criteria measurement that includes water, energy, and resource consumption. Without a common framework, evaluations remain difficult to compare.

About the GreenTech Forum 

Organized at the Palais des Congrès in Paris by Planet Tech’Care, the GreenTech Forum is the main professional event for responsible digital technology.
Each year, it brings together stakeholders committed to sustainable digital practices.

Similar Insights

All insights