Artificial Intelligence and Corporate Social Responsibility: Synergies, Challenges, and Future Directions

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility, or CSR, has been the subject of an increasing amount of interest with the infusion of artificial intelligence or AI. AI may open up much-needed improvements in CSR practice, including better decision-making, transparency, and sustainable benefits, but it also poses challenges related to the ethical concerns of data privacy, bias, and accountability. This paper focuses on how an AI-based approach enhances CSR activities and identifies risks embedded in AI adoption in approaches to CSR. The study combines qualitative interviews with industry experts and quantitative analysis of CSR reports from AI-adopting firms and thus sheds lights on the upside and downside of AI-enhanced CSR. Finally, this article ends with recommendations in developing a framework that would align AI capabilities with CSR objectives and indicates how that may potentially challenge future research directions in order to mitigate the ethical challenges involved.