THE INFLUENCE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ON ENTERPRISE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF INNOVATION CAPABILITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING AMONG SMES IN BEIJING

Abstract

In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology in Beijing and the increasing importance of sustainable development for enterprises, AI applications have become a crucial factor affecting the sustainable growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This study takes SMEs in Beijing as the research object to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on enterprise sustainable development through the mediating effects of innovation capability and organizational learning. This research employs both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. Questionnaires and interviews are used to collect data, and structural equation modeling is applied to analyze the influencing mechanisms. The research subjects are senior and middle management personnel from various SMEs across different industry sectors in Beijing. The data collection is carried out through online questionnaire surveys. Participants complete a survey assessing AI application practices, innovation capability levels, organizational learning initiatives, and enterprise sustainable development metrics. PLS-SEM is used to analyze the data and test the conceptual framework. The results show that artificial intelligence has a significant positive impact on enterprise sustainable development, and both innovation capability and organizational learning play important mediating roles in this process. The research findings empirically verify the critical mechanism by which AI promotes enterprise sustainable development through enhancing innovation capability and facilitating organizational learning. This article also discusses the practical implications of this research for sustainable development of SMEs in Beijing and its theoretical contributions to understanding how AI enables enterprise sustainable development.

The research Objectives (1) To assess the impact of artificial intelligence adoption on sustainable development outcomes among SMEs in Beijing. (2) To examine how innovation capability and organizational learning mediate the relationship between artificial intelligence adoption and sustainable development among Beijing SMEs. (3) To develop and validate an integrated model explaining how artificial intelligence, innovation capability, and organizational learning collectively enhance sustainable development in Beijing SMEs. Use the theory is Technology Innovation Theory, Organizational Learning Theory, Enterprise Sustainable Development Theory. This research employs a comprehensive mixed-methods approach that systematically integrates quantitative and qualitative methodologies, enhanced by triangulation techniques to ensure the robustness, validity, and depth of findings.

The findings contribute focuses on Beijing SMEs, highlights the critical roles of AI, innovation, and organizational learning in achieving sustainable development. The study found that AI implementation is foundational, positively influencing innovation through data-driven insights, automation, and rapid prototyping. It also enhances organizational learning by improving knowledge management, personalizing learning, and facilitating access to global knowledge. The research identifies a sequential mediation path where AI strengthens organizational learning, which then boosts innovation capabilities.