- Virtual - On-demand
- 45 minutes
- English
- Multi-Language Captions
On-Demand Webinar: AI, Sustainability, Circularity, and Risk
This Dematic-hosted Innovation Roundtable Webinar explores why AI projects create more value when organizations start with the problem instead of the technology.
AI can support better sustainability and circularity decisions – but only when organizations are clear about what they are trying to solve. That message anchored this 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.
Learn more in this webinar!
Event details
- Topic: What AI Can Teach us About Sustainaility, Circularity And Risk
- Format: On-Demand Webinar - Live now!
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Language: English with multi-language capations
With AI, you have to rethink the game and put governance and security up front.
That means asking harder questions before implementation.
- Who can access the data?
- Where does the data go?
- How will teams use the output?
- What decisions will the system support?
- Where does human oversight still belong?
For Dematic, this discussion reinforces a practical point: credible automation decisions start with understanding. AI can add value, but only when organizations define the objective, assess the foundation, and decide whether AI is the right tool for the job.
Key Questions and Learnings
Automation executes programmed rules the same way each time. AI can build on that foundation, but it doesn’t replace the need to understand processes, data, and teams.
Governance creates another pre-implementation testing point. Many companies introduce technology first, then address security, governance, and data access later. De Ketelaere says AI changes that order because data may leave the company, teams may gain access to information they shouldn’t see, and systems may influence decisions in ways the business doesn’t fully understand.
Meet your speaker
Geertrui Mieke De Ketelaere
Adjunct Professor & Keynote Speaker
Vlerick Business School
Geertrui Mieke De Ketelaere is an Adjunct Professor at Vlerick Business School. She holds a master’s degree in civil and industrial engineering and specialized in robotics and artificial intelligence during her studies.
Over the past 35 years, she has worked with several multinational companies, including IBM, Microsoft, SAP and SAS, covering all aspects of data and analytics. With her deep understanding of the hindsight, insight and foresight of AI technologies, she is frequently called upon as an expert and coach.
In her public talks and books, Mieke focuses on both the value of artificial intelligence and its ethical risks. In 2024, she was named “IT Personality of the Year”, and in 2025 she was a finalist in the “ELLE Women of the Year” competition. Today, she continues to share her vision on the future of AI as a speaker on international radio, television and at conferences worldwide.