This policy brief presents an applied analysis of the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using the state of Rio de Janeiro as a case study. The analysis begins with the understanding that AI is no longer merely a technological advancement and has come to directly influence public management and multiple dimensions of social life. As automated systems process increasingly large volumes of data, ethical, regulatory, and distributive dilemmas linked to their diffusion become more evident, particularly in territories marked by historical inequalities. Within this context, the study focuses on SDGs 9, 11, and 13, which relate to innovation, sustainable cities, and climate action. The case of Rio de Janeiro brings together significant institutional capacities, such as the Rio Operations Center and the RJ Digital program, along with structural vulnerabilities that shape unequal access to technological benefits. The diagnostic shows that technology does not guarantee inclusion: digital inequalities overlap with racial and territorial disparities, while limitations in sanitation, urban planning, and administrative continuity reduce the effectiveness of AI-based solutions. The literature also identifies ethical risks, as expanded surveillance, data protection weaknesses, and algorithmic biases. The analysis demonstrates that incorporating AI into public planning requires ethical criteria, evidence-based approaches, and governance mechanisms capable of guiding its implementation. Advancing this agenda depends on the articulation of social inclusion, institutional strengthening, and goal-oriented planning-an essential condition for technological potential to contribute to sustainable development within the state of Rio de Janeiro