Integrating gamification and artificial intelligence in sustainability education: a conceptual framework toward the 2030 Agenda

While gamification has shown strong potential to enhance motivation and engagement in educational contexts, its application to sustainability education aligned with the 2030 Agenda remains insufficiently explored from an integrative perspective. This conceptual analysis synthesizes theoretical and empirical literature on gamification, sustainability education, and artificial intelligence (AI), examining their theoretical foundations and documented applications. The findings indicate growing interest in applying gamification across sustainability dimensions, yielding positive effects on knowledge transfer and behavioral change. However, most studies still emphasize extrinsic motivation and lack longitudinal assessment. This article proposes an integrative conceptual model that positions education as the transformative core where gamification, AI, and sustainability converge, distinguishing between instrumental and transformative approaches. The framework contributes to a deeper understanding of how these domains can act synergistically to cultivate critical and engaged citizens capable of addressing the Sustainable Development Goals.