AI-Enabled Sustainable Operations in SMEs: A Computational Sustainability Perspective

The importance of AI solutions becomes crucial for enhancing SMEs' operational efficiency, developing sustainable practices and transforming rapidly amidst digitalization. Even though a considerable amount of academic works has been dedicated to the relationship between AI solutions and sustainability, current studies on the issue lack theoretical grounding as well as clear thematic developments of the topic. In this regard, the purpose of this study is to analyze the conceptual underpinnings of AI-supported sustainable business processes as well as examine key trends associated with the issue. To this end, a bibliometric approach based on TOE will be used. For data collection, we selected 238 journal papers indexed in Scopus, dated from 2019 to 2026, which will be analyzed by PRISMA, VOSviewer, and Biblioshiny. Our findings show that current discussions about the use of technology for sustainable development among others cover the topics of sustainable governance, operational intelligence, Industry 4.0, and digital sustainability. Specifically, AI has become a significant construct connecting digital transformation, sustainability-driven innovations, predictive analysis, and operational flexibility. Also, in the process of thematic analysis, the growing number of publications dedicated to such themes as intelligent control systems, sustainability-focused corporate governance, adaptive resilience, and digital ecosystem can be seen. Overall, our study will help us to understand better how technology, organizational adaptability, and environmental requirements determine the nature of sustainable business practices supported by AI solutions. Furthermore, current results provide practical insights for SMEs in terms of the implementation of AI-enabled control systems.