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Kogod School of Business
As more companies integrate artificial intelligence into their operations, many have found innovative ways to utilize it to promote more sustainable business practices. From quickly parsing large amounts of environmental data to providing modeling tools that predict the success of specific initiatives, there are numerous ways that AI can support businesses in achieving their sustainability goals. When it comes to an excellent example of how AI can be harnessed to promote sustainability efforts, look no further than Xylem, Inc.
Xylem, Inc. is a DC-based water technology company focused on solving problems at every stage of the water transportation process. Since launching in 2011, the company has grown significantly through acquisitions and partnerships, debuting on the Fortune 500 list in 2024 and doing business in over 150 countries. Xylem collaborates with its clients, ranging from companies to governments, to develop sustainable and resilient water infrastructure systems, analyze the water cycle, and identify solutions to inefficient processes. The uniting factor across all of Xylem’s work is promoting sustainable water use and combating water scarcity worldwide.
The importance of water is self-evident, but Xylem’s work in ensuring access to it spans multiple industries. They combat water waste by identifying leaks in regional water systems, working with technology companies to determine how to reduce the water required to build devices, and supporting the construction of water treatment plants in areas where water contamination is a significant issue. Xylem also provides funding to projects that focus on water accessibility and affordability, and makes a conscious effort to be actively involved with the communities it works in. When access to clean water is still not a given in many places, Xylem’s work is crucial in promoting both sustainability and health.
Xylem was ahead of the curve in utilizing AI to solve these problems. At a fireside chat at the Kogod School of Business in 2024, CEO Matthew Pine explained how the company was already looking to AI as a solution. At that point, Pine described how AI reduces the time it takes to analyze data regarding leaks in water systems. Where the analysis process used to take weeks, AI analysis tools have reduced that time to days, enabling Xylem to both deliver datasets to its clients sooner and allow its employees to focus on less repetitive tasks.
Since then, Xylem has discovered new and innovative ways to leverage the power of AI in its operations. In early 2025, they published their list of AI trends to watch in the water industry, including tools for transforming water treatment, optimizing energy usage, and detecting problems early. Its in-house platform, Xylem Vue, utilizes AI to capture and analyze data for the company’s clients, providing real-time monitoring of water systems and offering decision analysis and support. Through both Xylem’s work on Vue and its continued focus on trends in AI, it’s clear that the company plans to stay attuned to how AI can best support its work in making water security a given.
Xylem and the Kogod School of Business aren’t only linked by Matthew Pine’s visit to campus in 2024. In 2025, Xylem served as the case study company for Kogod’s annual Case Competition, where student teams developed and pitched AI-powered solutions to address global water scarcity. In 2023, Xylem Senior Vice President Albert Cho contributed to the student-run Kogod Sustainability Review, where he discussed the importance of water in broader discussions about sustainability. This history of collaboration stems from Xylem and Kogod’s shared mission of promoting sustainability and innovation in business.
Building on these efforts, the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship has prioritized the integration of AI and sustainability across its programs. Kogod professor and director of the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship says, "At the Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship, we’ve made integrating AI and sustainability a central priority."
By collaborating closely with our STEM and sustainability partners, we’re launching new academic certification pathways, introducing innovative competitions like the HealthTech Competition and the AI & Sustainability Hackathon, and embedding these technologies both into existing student ventures and as catalysts for entirely new business models.”

Tommy White
Director, Veloric Center for Entrepreneurship
Kogod’s strong emphasis on sustainability, including its unique MS in Sustainability Management program, pairs with its widespread integration of AI to prepare its students for a future in sustainable business. Every student at Kogod receives training in and access to AI tools, enabling them to become comfortable with harnessing them in their work by the time they graduate. At Kogod, where so many students are inspired to use their business education to create a better world, AI and sustainability education combine in a meaningful and actionable way.