A systematic review of agentic artificial intelligence in advancing sustainable health systems and sustainable development goals

The use of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) and AI agents to develop sustainable health systems presents an innovative means through which to address the complexities associated with aligning policies and achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While there is considerable potential for AI-driven innovation to improve healthcare delivery and governance, very little research has explored how such innovations may contribute to developing sustainable health systems, especially concerning the areas of policy integration and coordinating multiple stakeholders. This systematic literature review will examine the relationships between AI technology and health sustainability as well as policy frameworks to identify major trends, gaps, and opportunities. The evidence will be analyzed across three dimensions: how AI aligns with the SDGs; how AI is applied within health and healthcare; and what types of governance structures exist that support sustainable development. To ensure that this methodology provides a clear overview of both theoretical and empirical work, we identified and analyzed all relevant studies. The findings indicate that when developed ethically and through collaborative practices from various disciplines, AI agents and broader AI systems can enhance decision-making processes, resource allocations, and policy implementations. However, persistent concerns regarding data privacy, fairness, and scalability require the creation of more responsible and contextualized AI solutions. Finally, this literature review outlines potential pathways for policymakers and researchers to develop integrated approaches for using the benefits of AI while minimizing the risk of creating unsustainable health systems.