Sustainability in Hotels: Can Artificial Intelligence Green Behaviour? Evidence from Smart Hotel Technologies: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Hotels today face a difficult balance. They are expected to cut their environmental footprint, but they also have to keep service quality and guest satisfaction high. Artificial intelligence (AI) and smart hotel technologies are now being used to help with this. They serve two roles. They make daily operations more efficient, and they nudge guests toward more environmentally friendly behaviour. The aim of this paper is to find out if AI actually encourages green behaviour in hotels, and if it does, how. To answer this, we used behavioural and technology acceptance theories as a base. A systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out using peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science, published between 2015 and 2025. The articles were then analysed through thematic synthesis. The results show a fairly consistent pattern. AI tools like smart thermostats, intelligent lighting, energy management platforms, and personalised digital interfaces have a positive effect on green behaviours. These behaviours include saving energy, reusing linen, and reducing waste. When read through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the effect seems to come through perceived usefulness, ease of use, performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions. These shape what guests think and how they act. But none of this works on its own. AI sustainability tools only succeed when they are designed with care, when systems are transparent, when they are easy to use, when data privacy is respected, and when guests trust the system. This review adds to the literature on hospitality and sustainability by tying behavioural theory to research on smart technologies. It treats AI as both a technical tool and a behavioural one. The study has theoretical value for future model building. It also offers practical advice for hotel managers who want to use AI to push guests toward greener choices, without hurting the guest experience.