Key Takeaways
- Level of enthusiasm for the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to drive sustainability through better data, monitoring, and innovation varies widely among experts in different regions.
- Experts in Asia-Pacific and Latin America show the strongest belief in AI’s potential positive impact, while those in North America and Europe remain more cautious.
- Skepticism in key AI innovation hubs, such as North America, highlights the need for a new social contract to build trust in AI’s role.
A global survey of 844 sustainability experts across 72 countries, conducted by GlobeScan in collaboration with ERM and Volans, reveals sharp regional divides in attitudes toward AI and sustainability. While 60 percent of experts in Asia-Pacific and 58 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean believe AI can positively impact sustainability outcomes, only 48 percent in Africa and the Middle East, 41 percent in Europe, and 38 percent in North America share that optimism.
In a similar pattern, sustainability experts in Asia-Pacific (80%) and Latin America and the Caribbean (72%) also express stronger enthusiasm for R&D and technology innovation in general (not particularly AI) as a lever for sustainability. North American (68%) and European experts (68%), while also very optimistic, feel more cautious about its potential to drive sustainability progress in the short term. Experts based in Africa and the Middle East are even less enthusiastic (64%).
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
These findings suggest that while AI is increasingly recognized as a transformative enabler for sustainability, its adoption and perceived value are strongly shaped by regional context and societal attitudes.
Asia-Pacific’s strong optimism may reflect a combination of factors such as a demonstrated appetite for digital transformation in many fast-growing economies, national strategies focused on AI development (such as those in China, Singapore, and South Korea), and a generally high level of public and private investment in tech-driven solutions.
The skepticism in North America (followed by Europe) is especially notable given the region’s role as a global hub for AI development. Despite leading in innovation, many North American experts remain wary of AI’s sustainability impact, reflecting concerns around governance, privacy, and environmental costs. This underscores the need for leading AI and tech companies to help build a social contract that fosters trust, ensures accountability, and aligns AI advances with broader societal expectations.
This analysis is based on a survey of 844 sustainability practitioners across 72 countries globally. To learn more about how sustainability experts believe we can best navigate this crucial inflection point in the evolution of the global sustainability agenda, explore our recent report: Sustainability at a Crossroads.
Survey Question: Please rate the extent to which each of the following could potentially lead to significant positive sustainability outcomes over the next five years. Please use a 5-point scale where 1 is the potential to have “no positive impact at all,” 3 is “moderate positive impact,” and 5 is “very significant positive impact.” – Artificial Intelligence (as an enabler for sustainability data, monitoring, and innovation)
