Artificial Intelligence Governance in Smart Cities: A Causal Model of Citizen Sustainability Co-Creation Through Acceptance, Trust, and Adaptability

Urban sustainability has become a defining governance challenge as smart cities increasingly integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into public service delivery and decision-making. While AI-enabled systems promise efficiency and responsiveness, growing concerns regarding trust, legitimacy, and citizen engagement suggest that technological adoption alone does not guarantee sustainable urban outcomes. Existing studies have largely emphasized technological performance or individual adoption, paying limited attention to the governance mechanisms through which AI acceptance translates into sustainability co-creation. To address this gap, this study develops and empirically examines the AI–Urban Citizen Sustainability Co-Creation Framework (AI–CSCF) within the context of smart cities in Thailand. A quantitative survey was conducted with 1002 citizens across three smart city settings, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the relationships among AI acceptance, trust in AI, citizen adaptability, and sustainability co-creation. The results indicate that AI acceptance functions as a foundational condition shaping trust in AI and citizen adaptability, through which its influence on sustainability co-creation is indirectly transmitted. Trust in AI emerges as a key mediating mechanism linking AI-enabled governance to participatory sustainability outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of human-centered and trustworthy AI governance that strengthens citizen trust, enhances adaptive capacities, and positions citizens as active co-creators of sustainable urban development aligned with SDG 11.