Application of AI/ML techniques in achieving SDGs: a bibliometric study

A. Jiran Meitei (), Pratibha Rai () and S. S. Rajkishan ()
Additional contact information
A. Jiran Meitei: University of Delhi
Pratibha Rai: University of Delhi
S. S. Rajkishan: IILM University

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 1, No 9, 317 pages

Abstract: Abstract This paper reviews the application of AI & ML techniques in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as documented in various studies during 2017–2022. A systematic bibliometric review of a sample of 250 peer-reviewed journal articles selected from two scientific databases, Scopus and Web of Science, was undertaken (i) to gauge the trend in publications on the application of specific innovative technologies, especially AI and ML, for achieving the SDGs; (ii) to analyze the blind spots of AI adversely affecting sustainability, which are derived from the literature review and to examine the solutions offered in the literature to counter the adverse effects of AI, and (iii) to gauge the future direction of research. The highest number of studies originated from China, the USA, Spain, the UK, and Australia. Evident collaborations between countries and universities are also discernible. The study identified the journals, Sustainability, Remote Sensing, IEEE Access, and Journal of Cleaner Production as core sources through Bradford’s law. The findings show that AI holds promise, but there is overexuberance about its positive outcome. The study shows a need to impose regulatory requirements and enforce regular verification to ensure that AI remains a subject of constant scrutiny for trust, transparency, and adherence to universal ethical standards for SDG achievement. The findings could also provide researchers with a direction for integrating AI/ML in achieving the SDGs.

Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Bibliometric coupling; Co-citation; Co-occurrence; Sustainable development goals (SDG) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10668-023-03935-1 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:endesu:v:27:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s10668-023-03935-1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/10668

DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-03935-1

Access Statistics for this article

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development is currently edited by Luc Hens

More articles in Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().