Technological Innovation for Sustainability: Harnessing AI, IoT, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, and Extended Reality for the SDGs
摘要
This chapter reviews key emerging technologies with transformative potential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These technologies include artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, quantum computing, and extended reality (XR). Employing an exploratory research design, this chapter utilizes secondary data from existing databases and reports by international organizations, including the United Nations (UN) and the World Economic Forum, alongside published academic articles. This approach provides in-depth insights into the potential impacts of these emerging technologies on sustainable development across all 17 UN SDGs. Furthermore, descriptive statistics, presented through tables and charts, illustrate the study's findings. The findings reveal that, despite their ongoing evolution, these technologies demonstrate a significant capacity to accelerate progress across all 17 SDGs. For example, quantum technologies are already reshaping critical areas like climate monitoring through accurate weather prediction, healthcare, clean energy systems, smart city infrastructure, and justice frameworks. Blockchain enhances healthcare, education, and supply chain logistics transparency, while the IoT boosts industrial innovation and operational efficiency. These results underscore the substantial potential of emerging technologies to offer solutions for pressing sustainability challenges. Based on our observation, the chapter recommends prioritizing funding for these technologies and establishing robust regulatory frameworks to harness their potential for effective SDG implementation.