AI-Driven Circular Entrepreneurship: Revolutionizing Business Models for a Sustainable Future

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue explores the transformative intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and circular entrepreneurship, examining how AI-driven innovations are revolutionizing business models within the circular economy context. As Antikainen et al. (2018) argue, AI has the potential to accelerate the transition from linear to circular systems by enhancing resource efficiency, reducing waste, and optimizing product lifecycles. This shift facilitates the move from traditional ownership to service-oriented offerings, such as product-as-a-service models (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2019).

AI-powered platforms play a pivotal role in this transformation, providing data-driven insights that enhance the understanding of consumer behavior and enable regenerative business practices. The integration of AI into circular strategies allows businesses to develop models that not only minimize environmental impact, but also create resilient revenue streams (Pagoropoulos et al., 2017).

By combining perspectives from academia and the industry, this Special Issue aims to advance theoretical frameworks bridging AI, circular economy principles, and entrepreneurship. It will offer practical insights for businesses and policymakers while addressing the ethical implications and challenges of this convergence. This Issue will provide a balanced view on AI's potential and limitations in fostering sustainable and resilient business models.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• AI-powered circular business model innovation: strategies and implementation;
• The role of machine learning in optimizing product-as-a-service models;
• Predictive analytics for enhanced resource efficiency in circular supply chains;
• AI-driven customer engagement strategies in circular economy contexts;
• AI's role in facilitating closed-loop systems;
• Data-driven decision making for circular economy transition;
• The impact of AI on circular economy metrics and performance measurement;
• AI-powered platforms for collaborative circular innovation ecosystems;
• Policy frameworks to support AI-driven circular entrepreneurship;
• Case studies of AI-enabled circular startups: successes, challenges, and lessons learned;
• The role of AI in scaling up circular business models: from niche to mainstream;
• AI-driven market analysis for circular business opportunities;
• AI for territorial intelligence: enhancing local resource management and sustainable development in circular economies.

References:

Antikainen, M., Uusitalo, T., & Kivikytö-Reponen, P. (2018). Digitalisation as an enabler of circular economy. Procedia CIRP, 73, 45–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2018.04.027

Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2019). Artificial intelligence and the circular economy: AI as a tool to accelerate the transition. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications/artificial-intelligence-and-the-circular-economy

Pagoropoulos, A., Pigosso, D. C., & McAloone, T. C. (2017). The emergent role of digital technologies in the Circular Economy: A review. Procedia CIRP, 64, 19–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procir.2017.02.047

Dr. Miguel Ángel García-Madurga
Dr. María Isabel Saz-Gil
Dr. Ana Julia Grilló-Méndez
Guest Editors

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