Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability: Navigating the Dual-Edged Sword of Innovation and Impact

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to advance sustainability goals by optimizing processes, predicting outcomes, and analyzing large-scale data. AI can aid in climate modeling and resource-efficient urban planning, supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, AI systems often require significant energy, rely on resource-heavy hardware, and pose social and ethical risks such as bias, surveillance, and inequality. This paper examines AI's dual role in sustainability through literature reviews and case studies, outlining both solutions and challenges. It emphasizes the balance between operational efficiency and ethical responsibility, and provides recommendations for researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders to align AI with sustainable and equitable development.