Artificial intelligence must be developed and applied in a way that is ethical, transparent, and respectful of human rights, which makes trustworthy AI both a technological and societal necessity. Risks such as bias, data privacy breaches, loss of human control, legal accountability, and environmental impact highlight the need for balanced regulation that fosters trust without stifling innovation. Frameworks like the ACM Code of Ethics, IEEE 7000, GDPR, and especially the EU AI Act provide different layers of governance, while countries such as the USA, UK, China, and global organizations are also shaping their own regulatory approaches. Alongside ethics and governance, sustainability emerges as a pressing issue: AI’s growing energy consumption—driven by large-scale models and data centers—poses a significant carbon challenge, requiring both efficiency improvements and broader adoption of renewable energy. At the individual level, practices like “Green Prompting” and mindful model usage can reduce energy demand, while AI itself can also serve as a tool for sustainability by optimizing energy systems, logistics, agriculture, and recycling processes.