Page 123 - ALEF EDUCATION PR REPORT - AUGUST 2025

8/12/25, 9:32 AM Critical Tech Projects, Tools And Trends Overshadowed By The AI Boom
As LLMs continue to scale, training and the use of frontier models consume immense amounts of
energy, and demand is climbing exponentially. Eventually, the cost of AI will converge on the cost of
energy. New startups are overlooking the importance of scalable, low-carbon energy options—such as

solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear and on-site hydrogen—despite energy likely being the key bottleneck in
the future. - Ben Kim, Nitrode

2. Aligned Marketing, Finance And Shared KPIs

AI is a shiny distraction. Sure, it opens doors—but in marketing, it lets brands skip the basics. Many still

fail to align marketing, finance and shared KPIs. AI won’t fix poor strategy. Only good data, tied to
revenue impact and creativity, can deliver sustainable results. - Ben Dutter, Power Digital

Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology
executives. Do I qualify?

3. Solving The Data Problem

Everyone is chasing AI features, but few are building the data foundation required to use them well. AI
is only as good as the data behind it. Without unified, high-quality data, it’s just another shiny object.

The winners of the AI era will be the ones who solve the data problem first and architect their AI
strategy for impact, not hype. - Paul Deraval, NinjaCat

4. Foundational Data Infrastructure

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2025/08/11/critical-tech-projects-tools-and-trends-overshadowed-by-the-ai-boom/ 2/5