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A Review on the Adoption of AI, BC, and IoT in Sustainability Research

Author

Listed:
  • Susie Ruqun WU

    (SusDatability Ltd., A2205 Chuangxin Plaza, Pinshan Ave. 2007, Pinshan District, Shenzhen 518118, China)

  • Gabriela Shirkey

    (Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, 218 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
    Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, 673 Auditorium Rd., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

  • Ilke Celik

    (Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, 501 E. Saint Joseph St., Rapid City, SD 57701, USA)

  • Changliang Shao

    (Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 Zhongguancun South St., Haidian District, Beijing 100081, China)

  • Jiquan Chen

    (Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, 218 Manly Miles Building, 1405 S. Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
    Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, 673 Auditorium Rd., East Lansing, MI 48824, USA)

Abstract

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain (BC), and the internet of things (IoT) has had significant applications in the advancement of sustainability research. This review examines how these digital transformations drive natural and human systems, as well as which industry sectors have been applying them to advance sustainability. We adopted qualitative research methods, including a bibliometric analysis, in which we screened 960 publications to identify the leading sectors that apply AI/BC/IoT, and a content analysis to identify how each sector uses AI/BC/IoT to advance sustainability. We identified “smart city”, “energy system”, and “supply chain” as key leading sectors. Of these technologies, IoT received the most real-world applications in the “smart city” sector under the dimensions of “smart environment” and “smart mobility” and provided applications resolving energy consumption in the “energy system” sector. AI effectively resolved scheduling, prediction, and monitoring for both the “smart city” and “energy system” sectors. BC remained highly theoretical for “supply chain”, with limited applications. The technological integration of AI and IoT is a research trend for the “smart city” and “energy system” sectors, while BC and IoT is proposed for the “supply chain”. We observed a surge in AI/BC/IoT sustainability research since 2016 and a new research trend—technological integration—since 2020. Collectively, six of the United Nation’s seventeen sustainable development goals (i.e., 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13) have been the most widely involved with these technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Susie Ruqun WU & Gabriela Shirkey & Ilke Celik & Changliang Shao & Jiquan Chen, 2022. "A Review on the Adoption of AI, BC, and IoT in Sustainability Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-25, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:13:p:7851-:d:849408
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