The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of global objectives adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2015. They are crucial components of the agenda to be achieved by 2030. This global initiative aims to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure global well-being, focusing primarily on balancing social, economic, and environmental needs. The SDGs consist of 17 goals to be achieved by 2030, including: ending poverty, ending hunger, ensuring good health and well-being, providing quality education, promoting gender equality, ensuring clean water and sanitation, providing affordable and clean energy, fostering decent work and economic growth, advancing industry, innovation, and infrastructure, reducing inequality, building sustainable cities and communities, promoting responsible consumption and production, taking climate action, preserving life below water, protecting life on land, ensuring peace, justice, and strong institutions, and fostering partnerships for the goals (Servaes, 2017).

Several factors enable AI to help achieve the SDGs, including the availability of large datasets, the ability to process data quickly and efficiently, technological innovation and advancement, collaboration between the public and private sectors, access to technological infrastructure, and global awareness and commitment to sustainability. When combined, these factors make AI a technology that effectively supports the SDGs by increasing efficiency, expanding access to information, and optimizing decision-making across multiple sectors (Sætra, 2022).

Communication plays a vital role in achieving the SDGs, as it is essential for providing support. Effective communication disseminates information that can engage various stakeholders, raise awareness, and encourage community participation. One approach is using communication for sustainable social change, where dialogue, participation, and diverse information are key to achieving meaningful social change. The presence of technology, such as artificial intelligence, is expected to synergize with communication in supporting the SDGs. AI has already begun to influence various aspects of life, including communication. This technology plays an important role in developing inclusive communication infrastructure, expanding access to information, and enhancing social participation within communities (Servaes, 2017).

AI is recognized for transforming communication methods through tools like natural language processing (NLP), chatbots, and data analysis algorithms. These technologies enable increased efficiency in communication, more personalized interactions, and large-scale data analysis to improve communication strategies. For instance, AI can automatically process data from social media and identify trends to support public awareness campaigns about the SDGs. The transformation of AI in communication includes tailoring messages for different audiences, making communication more relevant and impactful. This technology accelerates the dissemination of information and enhances accessibility, driving action towards achieving the SDGs. Additionally, AI can help monitor progress, spread awareness, and overcome communication barriers that hinder global development efforts. For example, AI can analyze social media to track misinformation related to the SDGs, ensuring accurate and constructive discussions about global challenges like climate change, poverty, and social inequality (Servaes & Yusha’u, 2023).

AI’s role in supporting the achievement of sustainable development can be seen across several goals. It significantly contributes to the SDGs in various sectors, including health, education, and climate change. In SDG 3, which focuses on health and well-being, AI expands access to healthcare services through telemedicine. With AI, diagnosis and treatment can be conducted remotely. Technologies like social robots assist in elderly care. AI is also used to detect diseases and provide mental health interventions, thereby expanding the reach of quality healthcare services and enhancing overall community well-being (Sætra, 2022).

In the education sector (SDG 4), AI drives improvements in learning quality by providing more personalized and adaptive learning experiences. Intelligent tutor systems and AI-based remote learning platforms enable equitable access to quality education for students in remote areas. AI also supports the concept of lifelong learning, allowing educational materials to be tailored to individual needs. However, challenges such as the digital divide must be addressed to ensure equitable access to technology (Sætra, 2022).

In the context of climate change (SDG 13), AI plays a role in analyzing big data to monitor climate trends. This technology optimizes energy use, enhances infrastructure efficiency, and assists in decision-making related to climate policies. Although AI requires energy for its operations—especially when training complex models—it has the potential to be a significant solution in efforts to mitigate the global impacts of climate change. Overall, AI contributes significantly to achieving the SDGs by improving efficiency in health, education, and climate change sectors. However, to maximize its impact, it is important to address emerging challenges such as the digital divide and energy consumption, ensuring that AI’s role in supporting sustainable development is optimal and inclusive (Sætra, 2022).

AI has undeniably played a crucial role in increasing communication efficiency. For example, AI enables faster and more targeted communication responses, particularly through tools like chatbots and automated data analysis, which allow for processing large datasets and generating more accurate and relevant recommendations for audience needs. This enhances personalization in communication, making message dissemination more effective and relevant to various audiences (Servaes & Yusha’u, 2023).

Furthermore, AI contributes to the dissemination and accessibility of information. By leveraging digital technology and artificial intelligence, more people in diverse locations can access information, bridging the gap between hard-to-reach areas and those with limited resources. AI empowers individuals from various backgrounds, including marginalized groups, to obtain timely and accurate information that supports community engagement in the development process, including the achievement of the SDGs. Consequently, AI’s transformation in the context of global communication includes increased efficiency, personalized communication, and improved information accessibility, directly supporting the attainment of the SDGs (Servaes & Yusha’u, 2023).

The role of AI in achieving the SDGs is complex. One frequently discussed topic is digital literacy. Although AI technology offers significant opportunities for improving communication, many countries and communities lack access to technological infrastructure, such as stable internet and mobile technology. This raises concerns about the widespread use of AI, especially in developing countries. Additionally, privacy and ethics are critical considerations in the use of AI. Data collected by AI can be highly sensitive, raising concerns about its use, compliance with privacy standards, and existing ethical frameworks. This highlights the need for strong regulations to ensure that AI technology is not misused and does not infringe on individual rights (Servaes & Yusha’u, 2023).

The limitations of technology present another challenge, as, despite AI’s significant advancements, its ability to comprehend social and cultural contexts deeply remains limited. This can hinder the use of AI technology in nations with complex and diverse social and cultural values. These challenges illustrate that while AI can help achieve the SDGs, its application requires a careful and inclusive strategy to ensure that all communities benefit from AI technology without compromising privacy, ethics, or social norms (Servaes & Yusha’u, 2023).

An example of a communication campaign that integrates AI, health, and communication to support the SDGs is seen in the COVID-19 crisis communication in Turkey. In this instance, AI was utilized to enhance crisis communication strategies during the pandemic. However, studies indicate that several missteps by the Turkish Ministry of Health in crisis management were exacerbated by misinformation and a lack of engagement with social stakeholders. Although AI and data analytics were employed to monitor public health trends and manage resources, the failure to provide accurate and timely information resulted in a breakdown in communication between the government and the public. This case highlights both the potential and challenges of integrating AI into health communication efforts to enhance public safety, aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). It emphasizes that while AI can be part of the solution, effective communication strategies, transparency in data, and stakeholder engagement are crucial to realizing AI’s full potential in health communication during a crisis (Servaes & Yusha’u, 2023).

Another example is the implementation of AI-based communication strategies that support health and the achievement of the SDGs through a multi-stakeholder approach by LG Electronics (LGE). In this case, LGE focuses on managing stakeholder engagement to support the achievement of several SDGs, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education). LGE employs AI and innovative technology to address social and environmental issues in various communities, such as through the “Technology with Care” program. This program leverages technology to tackle social problems like community health and well-being while developing products that address public health challenges in developing countries (Jun & Kim, 2021).

LGE also collaborates with international organizations to support vaccine development and healthcare services in vulnerable areas, such as Ethiopia and Kenya. They participate in vaccination programs focused on preventing environmental diseases, aligning with the goals of SDG 3. Additionally, LGE uses technology-based campaigns to disseminate health information and education to the broader community. This case demonstrates how technology-based communication, including AI, can be integrated with health goals and the SDGs to achieve a broader impact (Jun & Kim, 2021).

-Rosmalia Ahmad & Diana Anggraeni

References

Jun, H., & Kim, M. (2021). From Stakeholder Communication to Engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A Case Study of LG Electronics. Sustainability, 13(15), 8624. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158624

Sætra, H. S. (2022). AI For The Sustainable Development Goals. CRC Press.

Servaes, J. (2017). Introduction: From MDGs to SDGs. In J. Servaes (Ed.), Sustainable Development Goals in the Asian Context. Springer.

Servaes, J., & Yusha’u, M. J. (2023). SDG18 Communication for All: Regional Perspectives and Special Cases. Palgrave Macmillan.