Governing AI for ESG and SDG Outcomes in the Global South: a Systematic Review

Abstract As artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly deployed to support environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it introduces context-dependent risks and implementation challenges requiring appropriate governance. Evidence from the Global South remains fragmented across AI applications, contextual conditions, and governance arrangements, limiting understanding of what works, under which conditions, and with what safeguards. To address this gap, this systematic literature review asks: WHICH AI applications are reported to support ESG performance and SDG outcomes; HOW technical, institutional, and sociocultural enablers and barriers shape their adoption and effectiveness; and WHO is responsible for governance and which mechanisms support responsible and equitable integration. Following PRISMA guidelines, expert review, and test–retest checks of study selection, we analyzed 30 peer-reviewed articles published from 2020 to 2026. Findings show that evidence is concentrated in environment-related SDGs, where predictive analytics and AI-enabled remote sensing support climate-risk assessment, urban planning, and land-use monitoring. Across domains, reported benefits depend on bundled interventions combining AI tools with data infrastructure, institutional capacity, participatory design, and accountability safeguards. Social and governance applications are particularly contingent on protections against algorithmic bias, data inequity, and exclusion. Governance responsibility is distributed across governments, firms, civil society organizations, communities, and international development partners. 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Journal of Economics and Management, 46, 508–583. Acknowledgments Not available. Funding This research received no funding. Author information Authors and Affiliations Contributions KOA, MO, GN, & WOO conceived the review, and wrote the paper and approved it. Corresponding author Additional information Publisher’s Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Supplementary Information Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material. Rights and permissions Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law. About this article Cite this article Ofosu-Ampong, K., Oppong, M., Ninson, G. et al. Governing AI for ESG and SDG Outcomes in the Global South: a Systematic Review. Digit. Soc. 5, 51 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44206-026-00292-0 Received: Accepted: Published: Version of record: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s44206-026-00292-0