The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Circular Economy in a Bid to Ameliorate Global Waste Crises

Abstract

The accelerating global waste crisis - driven by rising consumption, short product lifespans, and uneven waste management capacity - demands transformative solutions. This paper examines how advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) can catalyze the transition from a linear “take-make-waste” model to a Circular Economy (CE) that designs out waste, keeps products and materials in use, and regenerates natural systems. The paper synthesises recent evidence and examples across waste prevention, product design, wastes sorting and recycling, resource recovery and policy enforcement. It further identifies technical, social and governance challenges; and proposes actionable policy and operational recommendations for governments, industry and research actors. The paper concludes that AI is an enabling technology for CE at scale, but real impact requires systemic integration, data-sharing architectures, human-centred governance and targeted investment.