AI-Enabled Green Brand Communication as a Sustainability Signalling Mechanism: The Role of Authenticity in Shaping Brand Perceptions and Purchase Intention

Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to produce and distribute sustainability-related brand communication, yet its effects on consumer brand perceptions remain insufficiently understood. This study examines AI-enabled green brand communication as a sustainability signalling mechanism and investigates its associations with purchase intention through brand identity, brand aspiration, and brand image, while also considering the moderating role of perceived green authenticity. Data were collected in the United Kingdom between March and May 2025 through an online questionnaire completed by 324 adult social media users familiar with sustainability-related brand communication, and the proposed relationships were examined through reliability, validity, structural path, and moderation analyses. The results show that AI-enabled green brand communication is positively associated with both brand identity and brand aspiration. Brand identity and, more strongly, brand aspiration are positively associated with brand image, while brand image is positively associated with purchase intention. Perceived green authenticity further strengthens the positive associations between AI-enabled green brand communication and both brand identity and brand aspiration. The findings suggest that AI-enabled sustainability communication can support favourable brand evaluations and purchase intentions, but its effectiveness depends on whether consumers perceive the message as authentic, credible, and aligned with the brand’s environmental positioning.