According to National Center for Education Statistics, almost half of the first-time freshmen full time students who began seeking a bachelor’s degree do not graduate. The imbalance between

Artificial intelligence (AI) has reshaped various aspects of human lives, particularly through its capabilities to address complex sustainability challenges. Despite the rapid expansion of AI applications, their contribution to cleaner production and sustainable development remains underexplored, especially in developing nations. In Southeast Asia (SEA), where AI adoption has grown substantially across environmental, economic, and social dimensions, research that examines its role in cleaner production outcomes remains fragmented. In view of this gap, this study conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) of AI applications related to cleaner production and sustainable development by examining relevant themes, application areas, and sustainability dimensions addressed by AI, while evaluating the maturity of AI methodologies, alignment with cleaner production outcomes, and integration with circular economy and resource efficiency goals. Moreover, it investigates the barriers and challenges that constrain AI application and offers future research directions to advance AI deployment for cleaner production and sustainable development across SEA countries.