Ethical AI in the Supply Chain

Abstract

In the era of digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as a strategic lever in supply chain management, enhancing forecasting, planning, optimization, and logistics resilience. However, its adoption raises ethical challenges related to algorithm transparency, data protection, decision-making fairness, and sustainability. This chapter presents a critical and multidisciplinary study of AI ethics in supply chains, based on a structured review of 31 recent scientific articles. It identifies thirteen key themes, including ethical principles, regulatory issues, and enabling technologies such as XAI, blockchain, and federated learning. The study emphasizes the need for ethical performance indicators, collaborative governance, and risk management tools to support the responsible adoption of AI. It ultimately calls for a strategic integration of logistics innovation, ethical awareness, and social responsibility to foster a more transparent, fair, and sustainable supply chain.