What is it about?

How can artificial intelligence help businesses make decisions that are not only profitable but also environmentally and socially responsible? This study explores this question by reviewing 119 scientific articles published on the relationship between artificial intelligence and sustainable business decision-making. The research identifies how companies are using AI to improve production processes, optimize supply chains and energy consumption, predict environmental and social outcomes, automate sustainability reporting, and support innovation and the circular economy. The findings show that AI can help businesses reduce operating costs, lower emissions, improve forecasting, increase transparency, and use energy more efficiently. However, its successful adoption also depends on reliable data, appropriate digital infrastructure, employee skills, and responsible governance. The study also highlights an important challenge: companies tend to prioritize economic and environmental benefits, while the social dimension of sustainability receives less attention. Understanding this gap is essential to ensure that technological progress contributes to more balanced and responsible business decisions.

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Why is it important?

Artificial intelligence is increasingly influencing how organizations operate, compete, and make strategic decisions. However, adopting AI does not automatically make a business more sustainable. Its contribution depends on the quality of information, organizational capabilities, transparency, and the way environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are incorporated into decision-making. By synthesizing evidence from 119 scientific studies, this research provides a clearer picture of where AI is generating practical value and where important challenges remain. It offers useful insights for business leaders, sustainability professionals, policymakers, and researchers seeking to integrate technological innovation with responsible management. One particularly relevant finding is the need to give greater attention to the social dimension of ESG, which remains less developed than economic and environmental applications. The study can help guide future research and support organizations in moving beyond technology adoption toward more comprehensive and sustainable business strategies.

Perspectives

I became interested in this topic because artificial intelligence is changing the way businesses make decisions, but technological progress should not be measured only by efficiency or profitability. I believe its real value also lies in its ability to contribute to more responsible, transparent, and sustainable organizations. Working on this review allowed me to explore the connections between artificial intelligence, business management, and sustainability from a broader perspective. One of the aspects that I find particularly important is the need to ensure that social considerations receive the same attention as economic and environmental objectives. I hope this research encourages business leaders and researchers to look beyond the technological dimension and reflect on how AI can become a meaningful tool for sustainable development. For me, innovation matters most when it helps improve the way we make decisions and creates value for society.

José Luis Vásquez Correa
Universidad Privada del Norte

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Artificial intelligence in business decision making under ESG criteria a systematic literature review, Discover Environment, July 2026, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s44274-026-00907-w.
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