articleTechnology in SocietyJan 3, 2026HYBRID OA

From promise to concern: Public perceptions of AI in ESG frameworks over time

FLFrancesco LaviolaNCNicola Cucari

Sapienza University of Rome

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Abstract

This study investigates how public sentiment toward Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved at the intersection of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks and the rising field of Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) over the past 25 years. Drawing on a dataset of 33,628 news articles published between 2000 and 2025, we conduct a large-scale longitudinal sentiment analysis to identify discursive patterns in the perception of AI’s role across the ESG dimensions. Our findings reveal substantial variation across the three pillars. While sentiment toward AI in governance contexts shows a consistently positive trend, associated with increased expectations for transparency, monitoring, and…

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Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Legitimacy
  • Corporate governance
  • Sentiment analysis
  • Perception
  • Responsible Research and Innovation
  • Corporate social responsibility
  • Public engagement
  • Dimension (graph theory)
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