Leveraging artificial intelligence to meet the sustainable development goals

Aim/purpose – This study aims to identify the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with specific reference to their targets, and to present good practices in this regard. Design/methodology/approach – This study adopts qualitative research based on an integrative literature review encompassing five stages: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis, and presentation of findings. Findings – This study presents a framework for leveraging AI to achieve SDGs. It details the role of AI in achieving each SDG, identifies the best practices for using AI to achieve these goals, and recommends the main steps for systematically deploying AI to achieve SDGs. Research implications/limitations – The presented findings reflect the authors’ perspective on the role of AI in achieving SDGs based on an integrative literature review, which may have overlooked some literature on AI’s impact on individual SDGs or lacked published evidence on such interlinkages. Originality/value/contribution – This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive framework for leveraging AI to achieve the SDGs. It systematically identifies and details the role of AI in advancing each SDG, highlights best practices for deploying AI effectively, and recommends steps for integrating AI into SDG initiatives. The study’s value lies in its ability to guide policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in harnessing AI’s potential to address critical global challenges while highlighting the need for careful consideration of potential limitations and gaps in the existing literature.