Grace Lam
Grace Lam is the Co-Founder of Neta AI, a packaging intelligence platform born out of MIT and Harvard. Neta AI's solution automates packaging compliance and cost workflows, replacing manual, spreadsheet-driven processes with real-time optimization that accelerates progress toward circularity.
Previously, Grace worked at McKinsey & Company, where she was a core member of the consumer and retail practice and helped build the firm's Sustainability Practice in Asia. She later served as Deputy Chief of Staff to McKinsey's Global Managing Partner. Grace is a 2023 Social Innovation and Change Initiative Fellow and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Born in Singapore and raised in Hong Kong, Grace holds an MBA with Distinction from Harvard Business School and an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School.
Monday Dec 7
Joint Connection & Development Network and Sustainability & Product Stewardship Council Program | AI Education and Innovation
AI & Sustainability 101: Building a Baseline for Responsible Growth
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how organizations operate, creating new opportunities while introducing emerging environmental, operational, regulatory, and governance considerations. This session will demystify key AI concepts and terminology relevant to sustainability, giving attendees a shared vocabulary and foundational understanding of how AI technologies work.
The discussion will connect these concepts to real-world environmental and business implications, helping participants better understand AI’s sustainability opportunities, risks, benefits, and tradeoffs. Attendees will explore AI’s balancing act – from the energy, water, and land use demands associated with data centers and computing infrastructure to hardware, supply chain, and operational considerations.
At the same time, the session will examine how AI can advance sustainability goals through improved data analysis, resource and energy efficiency, emissions measurement, optimization, and better-informed decision-making. The session will also address the evolving state, federal, and corporate landscape and introduce key governance, data privacy, and responsible-use considerations for organizations.
Sustainable Innovation Powered By AI
Building on the foundational concepts explored in AI & Sustainability 101, this interactive session will move from understanding AI to seeing how it can be applied to real-world sustainability challenges.
Through live demonstrations, Neta AI and Turing Labs will showcase how AI-powered tools can support more sustainable product and packaging innovation. Neta AI will explore applications for sustainable packaging, while Turing Labs will demonstrate how AI can accelerate R&D and formulation.
Attendees will see these technologies in action and gain a practical look at how AI can help teams evaluate options, uncover insights, and make more informed decisions as they develop the next generation of products and packaging.
Speakers:
Grace Lam, Co-Founder, Neta AI
Manmit Shrimali, CEO & Founder, Turing Labs