Public Interest Tech: A take on the actors’ perspectives on ecological sustainability

Ecological sustainability is a complex issue which also affects digital technologies. But how do stakeholders handle the situation? How important is ecological sustainability for them and what measures are they taking? In 2022, we at HIIG’s AI & Society Lab conducted the “Civic Coding” study for three federal ministries – the BMAS, BMUV and BMFSFJ – in which we investigated potentials and requirements for the public interest-oriented use of AI. As part of this qualitative survey, we also asked various actors how they handle ecological sustainability in relation to AI.