Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability in Hospitality: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way hotels and restaurants operate, while at the same time, the hospitality industry is under increasing pressure to become more sustainable. This study examines how these two trends intersect through a journal-based systematic review of seven leading hospitality and sustainability journals searched from January 2010 to September 2026. Of 101 records assessed against predefined eligibility criteria, 54 studies linking an AI technology to a sustainability outcome were included, all published between 2020 and 2026; 63% appeared in 2025–2026, demonstrating that this is a rapidly growing area of research. Coded with an environmental–social–economic–governance framework, social (37%) and environmental (35%) outcomes form two comparably sized leading streams, followed by governance and responsible AI (15%), economic outcomes (9%), and integrated perspectives (4%). Service robots (37%) and conversational and generative AI agents (17%) are the most frequently studied technologies. However, 70% of the studies relied on self-reported perceptions or intentions, while only four studies utilized actual behavior or operational data. Furthermore, the use of AI for energy and water management and ESG reporting was not directly addressed within the reviewed corpus. This study proposes an integrated framework linking AI capabilities, psychological and organizational mechanisms, and sustainability outcomes, and suggests future research directions.