The Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Shaping Consumer Behavior toward Sustainable Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has emerged as a transformative technology that reshapes consumer decision-making and creates new opportunities to promote sustainable consumption. However, existing studies remain fragmented across marketing, consumer behavior, and sustainability literature, limiting a comprehensive understanding of GenAI’s role in encouraging sustainable consumer behavior. This study aims to systematically synthesize the existing literature on the role of GenAI in shaping consumer behavior toward sustainable consumption. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Relevant English-language publications indexed in the Scopus database from 2020 to 2026 were identified and analyzed using thematic analysis. The review identifies seven major themes, including the evolution of GenAI in consumer decision-making, AI-driven personalization, psychological mechanisms, sustainable marketing, behavioral determinants, ethical challenges, and future research directions. The findings indicate that GenAI facilitates sustainable consumption by improving personalized recommendations, trust, environmental knowledge, and consumer engagement, while transparency, privacy, and algorithmic bias remain critical challenges. This study contributes by integrating fragmented knowledge into a comprehensive thematic framework and proposing future research directions to advance AI-enabled sustainable consumption research and practice.

Keywords: Generative Artificial Intelligence, Consumer Behavior, Sustainable Consumption, Systematic Literature Review, Sustainability