Sustainable AI for a Sustainable Future: Governance for Rapidly Developing AI, Prof. Beverlee Anderson, Dr. Aaron McDonald, Dr. Catalin Ratiu

Prof. Beverlee B. Anderson
Professor Emerita of Business  
California State University San Marcos
U.S.A 
Email:  banderso@csusm.edu 
Dr. Aaron T. McDonald
Assistant Professor of Strategic Management
California State University San Marcos
U.S.A 
Email: amcdonald@csusm.edu
Dr. Catalin Ratiu
Associate Professor of Strategic Management
California State University San Marcos
U.S.A 
Email: cratiu@csusm.edu

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and the UN’s sustainable development goals. We are particularly interested in governance aspects that can moderate the role of AI in helping or hindering the implementation of the SDGs. Specifically, the research question we ask is, how can governance frameworks for AI development and deployment be established to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical considerations in the implementation of SDGs?
Design: This is predominantly a conceptual paper that develops theory and proposes avenues for necessary additional research on this very timely topic.
Research Limitations: Limitations are inherent in the extremely rapid development of AI, which results in ever-changing issues and challenges facing those implemented AI solutions.
Findings:  We build on research on environmental sustainability and propose that organizations that adopt voluntary self-regulation have an early mover advantage not only in developing capabilities to effectively respond to upcoming regulation, but by providing critical input in the regulatory frameworks. We further discuss the ways in which the diffusion of AI products requires a much faster response by organizations.
Originality:    We develop a conceptual framework for responding to the challenges of AI to environmental 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.
Implications: Governance and regulation are essential in optimizing the relationship between AI and SDG outcomes. It is documented that AI can be incredibly helpful, yet potentially perilous to societies and the environment. 
Paper Type:  Conceptual paper
Keywords:  Artificial Intelligence; SDGs; Governance; Ethics.