DIGITALISATION

Your critical guide to AI

Artificial intelligence has become an integrated part of education as well as working life. But which model is the best choice? And what about climate impact and data security? Christian Hendriksen, Associate Professor at CBS, shares his insights.

By CBS Executive Education

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how we learn, work and decide – but it also raises new questions.

On this page you’ll find an article and two explainer videos with insights from Christian Hendriksen, Associate Professor at CBS, covering which AI models to use, the environmental impact of AI and why we must rethink our skills to keep pace. Together they offer a solid foundation for navigating AI today and preparing for tomorrow.

Before anything else, it is important to understand what AI is not.

This is the view of Christian Hendriksen, who has long taken an interest in the topic and has even written a guide to using tools such as ChatGPT in education.

AI cannot solve all your problems. Think of it as an extra tool, not as a replacement for your own work.

“Used wisely, AI can free up time and mental capacity. Repetitive tasks that only reproduce what you already know are well suited for a model like ChatGPT. But if you let AI do everything, you risk losing your ability to think critically,” he explains.

Green AI models?

AI consumes huge amounts of energy and water. According to MIT News, every kWh used in a data centre requires around two litres of water for cooling.

When the Chinese company DeepSeek launched its model in 2024, they emphasised that the model used 50–75% less energy than their competitors. The reason was that limited computing power in China forced developers to make it cheaper and more energy-efficient to run.

But things are moving fast, says Christian Hendriksen:

“ChatGPT is now about 40 times cheaper to use than it was two years ago. The whole market is moving towards more energy-efficient models.”

AI models keep your data – and train on it

Another key issue is data security. When you share information with AI, it is usually stored and often used to train the model.

“Almost no matter which model you choose, your data leaves Europe, and that is something you need to be aware of,” explains Christian Hendriksen and offers an overview.

DeepSeek: Sends data to China.

ChatGPT: Allows you to opt out of training use – but your information is still stored in the US.

Copilot: Works in the same way as ChatGPT but is closely tied to Microsoft's ecosystem.

Which AI model is the best?

Data security is one thing. The quality of the answers is another. But which AI tool really delivers the best results?

“There is no single answer. It depends on what you need,” says Christian Hendriksen.

“ChatGPT is the most mature programme. I recommend starting with the free version so you can try out the basic chat models. They work really well, but they are not the best.”

Because ChatGPT has been on the market for so long, the model has developed significantly and become much stronger over time.

Christian Hendriksen sums up which AI is most suitable for different users:

“If you want access to the very best models, you should buy a subscription to either Gemini or ChatGPT. Personally, I recommend ChatGPT Pro for serious, professional work. For most students, however, the free version of ChatGPT will be more than enough. Copilot has improved too, but the answers are often shorter, less nuanced and you can provide less context to the model.”

Christian Hendriksen is Associate Professor at CBS at the Department of Operations Management. He is an expert in artificial intelligence, international environmental regulation and the role of companies in politics.

What are the environmental impacts of developing and using AI models?

Christian explains the effect of our use of AI on the environment, shares key figures and some suggestions on how we can us AI responsibly and judiciously in order to reduce this impact.

How do we work with AI?

Watch as Christian explains why it can take decades before the full potential of a technology becomes visible – and why we already need to start rethinking our skills to keep pace with developments.

How much critical thinking can we outsource?

What's next? Developing an AI-agile mindset

AI Success Begins with Leadership's Mindset

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