Zero trust architecture for digital, sustainable, and resilient supply chains in the era of Industry 5.0/4.0

Purpose As supply chains become increasingly digitalized and interconnected, they face growing challenges related to cybersecurity, operational resilience and environmental sustainability. These pressures are particularly intense in the automotive industry, where sustainable concerns, high levels of automation and third-party dependencies create a complex and vulnerable operational landscape. In this context, this paper aims to address the integration of zero trust architecture (ZTA) and artificial intelligence (AI) that emerge as a strategic imperative to secure and optimize supply chain systems. Design/methodology/approach This study explores the key factors for deploying ZTA and AI within automotive supply chains. It uses a hybrid methodological approach that combines expert-based evaluation using gray-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory and interpretive structural modeling. Theoretically grounded within the dynamic capability lens, the study captures the organizational abilities to continuously adapt, integrate and realign digital, operational and strategic resources in response to evolving technological, regulatory and sustainability factors. Findings The findings reveal significant interdependencies among technological, organizational and sustainability-oriented factors, offering a structured framework for guiding ZTA-AI integration in support of Industry 5.0/4.0 objectives. Based on these findings, the authors propose a ZTA-resilient, intelligent and sustainable ecosystems framework that aligns operational resilience, regulatory compliance, secure technological integration and collaborative ecosystem intelligence. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to conceptually and methodologically explore the integration of ZTA in supply chain management. By linking ZTA with AI through dynamic capabilities, it fills a critical gap in the literature on secure, digital and resilient transformation. Furthermore, it offers a strategic roadmap for organizations navigating digital trust and sustainable transformation, contributing new theoretical and managerial insights to the fields of cybersecurity and operations management.