ustwo and University of Bristol Launch PRISM, a New Open-Source Tool That Helps Developers Understand the Carbon Impact of AI Usage During Development
Global digital product studio ustwo, in collaboration with the University of Bristol, today announced the launch of PRISM, an open-source developer plug-in that provides visibility into the estimated operational emissions associated with AI usage. This creates momentum and transparency to positively impact the decisions teams make when working with AI.
As organisations rapidly adopt AI-powered tools and workflows, the environmental impact of these technologies remains largely invisible to the developers using them. PRISM aims to change that by surfacing directional estimates of AI-related emissions directly inside the integrated development environment (IDE), enabling teams to consider carbon impact alongside other metrics such as cost, speed, and performance.
Built using a transparent token-to-energy-to-carbon methodology informed by Green Software Foundation guidance and recent academic research, PRISM is among the first open-source tools designed to help developers understand the estimated environmental implications of AI usage.
“AI has become an everyday part of software development, but the environmental cost of using it remains largely hidden,” said the project lead Paolo Rizzi, Sustainability Principal at ustwo. “PRISM is our attempt to make that impact more visible and help developers and organisations make informed choices.”
Unlike traditional sustainability reporting tools that focus on infrastructure or organisational-level emissions, PRISM delivers directional signals at the point where technical decisions are made.
“Developers are a fundamental part of the solution,” said Nick Hegarty, Executive Director of Technology at ustwo. “By making AI emissions visible during development, we hope to create greater awareness and support better decision-making. We believe even directional estimates can be valuable if they help start conversations and encourage more thoughtful AI usage.”
PRISM was developed through a collaboration between ustwo and software engineering students from the University of Bristol’s Undergraduate Software Engineering Projects programme. It is being released as an open-source project to encourage community participation, transparency, and continuous improvement.
“AI presents extraordinary opportunities, and with those opportunities comes responsibility,” said Nicki Sprinz, CEO at ustwo. “As organisations increasingly integrate AI into the products, services, and tools they use daily, we all have a duty to understand the wider impacts of these technologies.”
The creators emphasise that PRISM is not intended to provide precise carbon accounting. Instead, it offers directional estimates based on the best available data and methodologies, giving developers a practical signal where previously none existed.
As AI adoption accelerates across organisations worldwide, tools like PRISM represent a new category of developer tooling focused on helping teams better understand and manage the broader impact of their technology choices.
PRISM is now available as an open-source project and is free for developers and organisations to use, review, and contribute to.
About ustwo
ustwo is a global digital product company that designs and builds products, services, and experiences used by millions of people around the world. Working at the intersection of design, technology, and strategy, ustwo partners with organisations to create meaningful digital experiences while helping shape a more responsible and sustainable future for technology.
About the University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is one of the UK’s leading research universities, recognised globally for its work across science, engineering, technology, and sustainability. Through collaboration with industry partners, the university advances research that addresses some of society’s most pressing challenges.
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Abstract
ustwo and University of Bristol launch PRISM, an open-source tool helping developers understand the carbon impact of AI use.
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“AI has become an everyday part of software development, but the environmental cost of using it remains largely hidden. PRISM is our attempt to make that impact more visible and help developers and organisations make informed choices.”
