The dilemma of using AI for sustainable software engineers, with Natasha Ann Lum | #77| 77
April 13, 2026
Do software engineers still have the choice of not using AI? The numbers speak volumes and the short answer is ...no. For the environmentally-aware developer, this is a daily dilemma.
In this episode of Green IO, Gaël is joined by Natasha Ann Lum, co-founder of the RagTech podcast and MC at Green IO Singapore 2026. She practices AI-assisted coding every day. But here’s the catch - she’s doing so by ‘embracing the discomfort of AI’, warts and all. That means jumping in, finding the relevant use cases for AI in her daily workflow, and mitigating its costs.
Natasha’s approach comes from a place of advocacy that many other responsible technologists can relate to; data sovereignty, minimising environmental impacts and finding ways to speak truth to power. And behind it all is a decision-making framework that threads everything together.
Do software engineers still have the choice of not using AI? The numbers speak volumes and the short answer is ...no. For the environmentally-aware developer, this is a daily dilemma.
In this episode of Green IO, Gaël is joined by Natasha Ann Lum, co-founder of the RagTech podcast and MC at Green IO Singapore 2026. She practices AI-assisted coding every day. But here’s the catch - she’s doing so by ‘embracing the discomfort of AI’, warts and all. That means jumping in, finding the relevant use cases for AI in her daily workflow, and mitigating its costs.
Natasha’s approach comes from a place of advocacy that many other responsible technologists can relate to; data sovereignty, minimising environmental impacts and finding ways to speak truth to power. And behind it all is a decision-making framework that threads everything together.
Gaël and Natasha dive into:
▪️The need to push for decentralised technology
▪️Her systematic approach to ‘intentional AI’
▪️Challenges facing the broader tech sector
▪️How we aren’t powerless to enact change
▪️Natasha’s personal daily tech stack
And much, much more.
❤️ Like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode.
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Connect with Natasha Ann Lum:
▪️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashaannn/
▪️Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@ragTechDev
Connect with Gaël and Green IO:
▪️Green IO Website: https://greenio.tech
▪️Green IO Slack: https://greenio-podcast.slack.com
▪️Green IO YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@greenio877
▪️Gaël’s website: https://www.gaelduez.com
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Referenced in this episode:
▪️Green IO Singapore 2026: https://greenio.tech/conference/18/singapore-2026-april
▪️Pragmatic Engineer's 2026 study: https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/ai-tooling-2026
▪️AI Energy Score: https://huggingface.co/AIEnergyScore
▪️Electricity Maps: https://www.electricitymaps.com/
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🎁 Want to accurately measure your team’s environmental impact? Try ResilioDB for 90 days. Use code GREENIO26: Resilio Database
📣 Green IO Conferences are back in 2026! Early bird tickets and speaking applications: https://greenio.tech/conferences
✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news on digital sustainability:https://newsletter.greenio.tech
📧 Share your feedback & suggest future guests/topics: contact@greenio.tech
🔗 Episode transcript: https://podcast.greenio.tech
In this episode of Green IO, Gaël is joined by Natasha Ann Lum, co-founder of the RagTech podcast and MC at Green IO Singapore 2026. She practices AI-assisted coding every day. But here’s the catch - she’s doing so by ‘embracing the discomfort of AI’, warts and all. That means jumping in, finding the relevant use cases for AI in her daily workflow, and mitigating its costs.
Natasha’s approach comes from a place of advocacy that many other responsible technologists can relate to; data sovereignty, minimising environmental impacts and finding ways to speak truth to power. And behind it all is a decision-making framework that threads everything together.
Gaël and Natasha dive into:
▪️The need to push for decentralised technology
▪️Her systematic approach to ‘intentional AI’
▪️Challenges facing the broader tech sector
▪️How we aren’t powerless to enact change
▪️Natasha’s personal daily tech stack
And much, much more.
❤️ Like and subscribe so that you never miss an episode.
---
Connect with Natasha Ann Lum:
▪️LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashaannn/
▪️Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@ragTechDev
Connect with Gaël and Green IO:
▪️Green IO Website: https://greenio.tech
▪️Green IO Slack: https://greenio-podcast.slack.com
▪️Green IO YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@greenio877
▪️Gaël’s website: https://www.gaelduez.com
---
Referenced in this episode:
▪️Green IO Singapore 2026: https://greenio.tech/conference/18/singapore-2026-april
▪️Pragmatic Engineer's 2026 study: https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/ai-tooling-2026
▪️AI Energy Score: https://huggingface.co/AIEnergyScore
▪️Electricity Maps: https://www.electricitymaps.com/
---
🎁 Want to accurately measure your team’s environmental impact? Try ResilioDB for 90 days. Use code GREENIO26: Resilio Database
📣 Green IO Conferences are back in 2026! Early bird tickets and speaking applications: https://greenio.tech/conferences
✉️ Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news on digital sustainability:https://newsletter.greenio.tech
📧 Share your feedback & suggest future guests/topics: contact@greenio.tech
🔗 Episode transcript: https://podcast.greenio.tech