Towards Energy Sustainability in the Digital Realm. A Compass of Strategies between Natural and Artificial Intelligence

The digital is not an intangible entity. Contrary to the belief that the digital world reduces the physical footprint of human activities, its environmental impact is far from minor. To foster sustainability, accessibility, and inclusion requires the creation of complex and multidimen- sional strategies to encourage long-term behavioural change. In this scenario, concepts such as sobriety and moderation emerge as an alternative sustainable model. The article critically overviews concrete practices for balancing digital energy usage. An analysis of contemporary strategies is presented through two main parameters: firstly, a distinction is made between solutions that use artificial intelligence to optimise efficiency and solutions that use natural intelligence to rethink traditional consumption paradigms. Secondly, design strategies are categorised into three drivers: reducing digital activities by resorting to low- tech or analogic alternatives, adapting resources through artefacts responsive to energy availability and quality, and replacing traditional technologies with biobased and bioinspired solutions. The results highlight the necessity for a post-anthropocentric vision in design and provide a compass of strategies to apply to the energy transition in the digital realm.