Sustainable Business Models and Artificial Intelligence: Opportunities and Challenges

This chapter aims to shed light on the pivotal role played by artificial intelligence (AI) in supporting sustainable business models’ development. To achieve this objective, the chapter starts by illustrating relevant previous studies about sustainable business models with a specific focus on the economic, social, and environmental (ESG) dimensions of sustainability and by briefly exploring the literature about AI and its potential impacts on business models. Subsequently, the chapter deepens the investigation by developing specific subsections about the implications of adopting AI for each ESG dimension. Each subsection provides an explicative example illustrating how a multinational company (each located in a different country—the United States, Spain, Italy) has implemented AI techniques toward sustainability performance. These examples provide an empirical view and yield insights about sustainable business models’ development, driving general implications for practitioners. The study also illustrates future research opportunities for academics about the link between sustainability and artificial intelligence.