The Role of Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review

• In Event: Investigating Generative AI Use and Integration in International Contexts: Opportunities, Challenges, and Insights

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly emerged as a transformative force across various sectors, including education (Yang et al., 2023). For instance, the use of AI technologies—such as personalized learning platforms, digital mentoring tools, intelligent tutoring systems, automated assessment mechanisms, and systems that foster enhanced teacher-student interactions—offers a considerable potential for the transformation and enrichment of learning experiences (Kamalov et al., 2023; Wollny et al., 2021). In recent years, the integration of AI into education for sustainable development (ESD) has also garnered increasing academic interest and scholarly production (Mienye et al., 2024). These AI-supported educational practices intersect with ESD in the sense that they foster active engagement and informed dialogue around Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Yuskovych-Zhukovska et al., 2022).
UNESCO (2021) underscores the role of AI in addressing fundamental educational issues, fostering innovative teaching and learning practices, and advancing SDG 4, which centers on “quality education.” As digital transformation accelerates in education, broadening perspectives on the potential of AI in supporting sustainable development, the methods, techniques, and pedagogical approaches employed in these practices remain insufficiently discussed in the literature (Singh et al., 2024). This is especially considering the ongoing scholarly discussions on ethical, social, and pedagogical concerns brought with AI technologies (Zinchenko, 2023; Norman-Acevedo, 2023). To fill this research gap, this study offers a systematic analysis of the literature on AI within the context of ESD. It seeks to evaluate educational levels and disciplines, learning objectives, pedagogical frameworks, research methods, and challenges emphasized in the existing literature.
To achieve this goal, the study adopts a systematic review methodology focusing on peer-reviewed English-language publications indexed in the Web of Science database. The primary keywords used in the literature search include “artificial intelligence,” “education for sustainable development,” “ESD,” and “sustainability education.” An initial search, prior to detailed filtering, identified a total of 148 relevant publications. In addition, a bibliometric dimension was incorporated using VOSviewer software to visualize publication trends, leading researchers and institutions, citation networks, and emerging thematic patterns.
The preliminary results reveal a noticeable increase in research addressing the intersection of artificial intelligence and education for sustainable development. The People’s Republic of China, the United States, Germany, India, and South Korea stand out as the most productive countries that are actively contributing to this research area. While the reviewed literature emphasizes the impact of AI in reshaping learners’ experiences through fostering innovation in the field of education that enhances the attainment of sustainable development goals, it also acknowledges the ethical concerns that are brought with this transformation. The study is significant in the sense that it puts forward recommendations for future research, especially given the intersection between AI and ESD.

Authors

• Birol Bulut, University of California - Los Angeles

• Fadhila Hadjeris, University of California - Los Angeles