A systematic review of legal frameworks and governance of fourth industrial revolution technologies for sustainable development in developing countries

Abstract

The rapid expansion of fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies has intensified the expectation that artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and automation can accelerate the process of achieving the United Naitons Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in developing nations. Whether these technologies live up to their expectation, however, depends not only on technological capability but also on the legal, regulatory, and institutional environment in which they operate. However, the governance of 4IR technologies has gained far less scholarly attention than their technological potential. The present study examines how legal frameworks, policy instruments, and governance arrangements influence the contribution of 4IR technologies to sustainable development in developing countries. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, literature published between 2015 and 2025 was identified through searches of Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, Pub Med, and arXiv. From 721 retrieved records, 50 peer reviewed studies met the eligibility criteria and were synthesised using a narrative approach. The analysis reveals three consistent patterns. First, legal authority is fragmented within and across jurisdictions. Second, policy commitments frequently outstrip implementation capacity, a performativity in which governments announce SDG ambitions without building the institutional means to deliver them. Third, governance is constrained by limited expertise, weak enforcement, and poor coordination between agencies. The review also identifies three important gaps in the literature: a predominant focus on artificial intelligence at the expense of other technologies, limited empirical testing of the links between fourth industrial revolution technologies and SDG outcomes, and minimal attention to how rules are enforced in practice. These finding suggest that the prime difficulty of harnessing 4IR technologies for sustainable development in developing nations are institutional rather than technological. Therefore, it is not only about advancing technological innovation but also strengthening regulatory coherence, governance capacity, and the effective implementation of legal frameworks to achieve SDGs in developing countries.