The purpose of this paper is to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through appropriate self-governance configurations at the firm, alliance and industry levels. Design: This is predominantly a conceptual paper that develops theory and proposes avenues for necessary additional research on this very timely topic.
We build on research on environmental sustainability and propose that organisations that adopt voluntary self-regulation have an early mover advantage, not only in developing capabilities to effectively respond to upcoming regulation, but also by providing critical input in the regulatory frameworks.
We develop a conceptual framework for responding to the challenges of AI to environmental, economic and societal issues, by focusing on governance mechanisms that can moderate this relationship. We further integrate existing knowledge on self-regulation and propose solutions to the response speed problem. The paper is timely, as society is currently grappling with large questions on how to manage the diffusion of AI. We believe that governance plays a key role in these debates.
Limitations are inherent in the extremely rapid development of AI, resulting in ever-changing issues and challenges facing those implemented AI solutions.
Governance and regulation are essential in optimising the relationship between AI and SDG outcomes. It is documented that AI can be incredibly helpful, yet potentially perilous to societies and the environment.
: Anderson, B.B., McDonald, A.T. and Ratiu, C. (2023) “Sustainable AI for a Sustainable Future: Governance for Rapidly Developing AI”, in World Sustainable Development Outlook 2023, Vol. 19, pp. 91–103 (London, UK: WASD).
