How Does AI Education Shape Sustainability Attitudes Among Generation Z? Evidence from Istanbul’s Move Toward Hospitality 5.0

Abstract

This paper reviews the impact of various types of AI education on the sustainability attitudes of Generation Z in Istanbul in the context of the new model of Hospitality 5.0. The study concentrates on three major aspects of learning related to AI, namely knowledge, practical implementation, and value-based orientation, and their interim impact on shaping sustainability-oriented perceptions of young people. The study established the reliability and stability of the constructs using psychometric testing, and factor analysis and structural modeling proved that every educational dimension of AI is positively related to sustainability attitudes. Of them, knowledge utilization proved to be the most powerful predictor. Further residual results revealed behavioral anomalies by demonstrating that those who outperformed were people with moderate technical abilities and high sustainability values and those who underperformed possessed high digital abilities without integrity value-based alignment. These results demonstrate that formal AI education is a stabilizing force, which encourages more consistent and sustainability-focused attitudes. Altogether, the findings point to the significance of educational models combining technical skills with ethical and environmental consciousness in helping Generation Z to find a middle ground in terms of sustainable change in the digital hospitality industry.