A Dematic‑hosted Innovation Roundtable explores where AI can support sustainability and circularity goals – and why human judgment, oversight, and accountability remain essential.

AI can support better sustainability and circularity decisions – but only when organizations are clear about what they are trying to solve. That message anchored a Dematic‑hosted Innovation Roundtable focused on Innovation & AI for Sustainability & Circularity, featuring Geertrui Mieke De Ketelaere.

A recognized expert in sustainable, ethical, and trustworthy AI, De Ketelaere, an adjunct professor at Vlerick Business School, works closely with organizations eager to adopt AI – but often before defining clear objectives. Whether driven by hype, competitive pressure, or fear of falling behind, many companies move too quickly to implementation without first understanding the sustainability or circularity challenge they want to address.

“AI can create value, but it has to start with objectives,” De Ketelaere explained. “How far you go depends on the industry, the process, and the stage of maturity you’re in.”

That distinction matters. Sustainability efforts typically focus on reducing environmental impact across operations, while circularity aims to extend the life of products and materials to minimize waste. In both cases, AI can play a role – but only when applied deliberately, with a clear understanding of what success actually looks like.

The discussion also highlighted a broader challenge organizations face today: separating meaningful AI applications from inflated expectations. De Ketelaere emphasized that governance, operational readiness, and human oversight are critical in making that distinction.

Without those foundations, even well‑intentioned AI initiatives can lead to questionable sustainability claims. Measuring progress too narrowly — such as pointing to waste reduction or throughput improvements alone — does not automatically indicate real or lasting impact if broader operational, environmental, and business effects are ignored.

“Don’t be blinded by numbers or statistics alone,” De Ketelaere cautioned. Organizations need to understand their own level of maturity and context before drawing conclusions about success.

That perspective aligns closely with how Dematic approaches automation and intelligence more broadly: performance and sustainability are not defined at a single moment in time, but over the full lifecycle of an operation.

The Dematic Innovation Roundtable anchors a three‑part Q&A series that explores how organizations can apply AI more responsibly and effectively — without losing sight of risk, accountability, or long‑term value.

This series reflects Dematic’s role as a connector to outside expertise on issues shaping business, operations, and automation. It also reinforces a simple but powerful reality: The Mind Behind the Machine has to come before the machine itself.

Technology continues to evolve quickly. Understanding – grounded in experience, judgment, and accountability – is what turns that technology into lasting performance and meaningful progress.