Abstract

This study examines how platform-based artificial intelligence resources (PAIRs) influence sustainable performance in e-business ecosystems by shaping stakeholder cognition and behavior. Guided by the Resource-Based View (RBV), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and institutional theory, we examine the psychological mechanisms—particularly trust in AI and environmental identity—that mediate the relationship between PAIRs and green value co-creation (GVC), with sustainable development (SD) acting as a moderating factor. Drawing on survey data from 466 platform managers in China’s digital economy hubs (Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, Beijing-Tianjin), covering diverse industries (e-commerce, consumer goods, healthcare), our data suggest that PAIRs may influence firm performance via GVC, and that this association appears to be stronger under high-SD contexts. Our results underscore the importance of responsible and psychologically informed AI design—such as algorithmic transparency, cognitive load reduction, and ethical calibration—to facilitate stakeholder trust and pro-environmental engagement. This research contributes both theoretically and practically to elucidating how AI integration in e-business can be leveraged for responsible innovation and sustainable value creation.