Natasha Wutun: Bridging the Legal Gap of Artificial Intelligence for Environmental Resilience

The law is society’s moral compass; it puts the rights and wrongs into a set of legislation that runs societal order. But what happens when this ‘order’ has to coexist with the rapid undercurrent of technological change that is so prevalent today?

The rise of Artificial Intelligence has opened several legal loopholes for the future of sustainability. At REGROOVE, we interviewed environmental activist and AYC Founder, Natasha Wutun, to explore this topic and provide insight on Indonesia’s legal development.

Natasha’s journey actually began not with technology, but by realising how educational inequality, the digital divide, and climate vulnerability must be approached through interdisciplinary bridges guided by ethics, equity, and responsibility.

Natasha quotes, “The law is not merely a set of regulations; it is a moral compass that ensures innovation remains human-centred. And with AI becoming the most transformative force of our generation, it urgently needs that compass.” This was the foundation of AYC Indonesia’s creation, a platform where young people can learn how AI, legal frameworks, and sustainability intersect to create lasting impacts.

Natasha described the law as “The shoreline which steady, defining, and protects. It shapes the direction of waves without stopping their movement”. She describes how the law invigorates technological innovation while considering the ethics and protection of communities from asymmetrical impacts, where progress is no longer crucial but mandatory.

She points out how the current legal landscape lacks a universal language for the carbon footprint of AI. “We talk endlessly about bias and privacy, but rarely about water usage, emissions, or data centre heat. Developed nations draft rules; developing nations absorb the consequences,” she strengthened. Existing e-waste management and green technology systems remain insufficient; it is up to the law to govern their place in society.

She emphasises how identify these gaps beforehand is the first and significant step towards progress. She suggests, “Risk-based governance frameworks like the EU AI Act show that regulation can be both protective and imaginative placing the environment, human rights, and innovation on the same continuum”.

Looking ahead, Natasha envisions the youth to become the “moral and creative backbone of AI sustainability”. She continues, growing up amidst major technological transformations and climate anxiety has allowed the coming generation to question the continued co-existence of intelligence and ethics. Through accountability and transparency of policymakers alongside Gen Z and Gen Alpha, we are able to build a world where AI is not only utilised but actively shapes direction.