How can AI help us sort our waste? With Dr. Clio Chaveneau & Rafik Sid

In this third episode of our special AI series — a collaboration between Veolia Near & Middle East and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi — Nadine Zidani is joined by Dr. Clio Chaveneau, Associate Professor of Sociology at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and Rafik Sid, Program Manager at Veolia Near & Middle East.

Together, they unpack how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we sort, manage, and recycle waste — from AI-powered cameras on trucks to robotic arms that can identify up to 60 types of materials. But the conversation doesn’t stop at innovation. They also explore the social, legal, and environmental risks AI introduces, from data privacy to e-waste and energy use.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• How AI is being used to optimize recycling operations
  
  
• The role of data and computer vision in improving sorting accuracy
  
  
• Why collaboration across governments, businesses, and citizens is essential
  
  
• The ethical and ecological concerns raised by smart waste technologies
  
  
• What responsible innovation in waste management really looks like