PurposeThis article aims to reveal the factors influencing the sustainable development of mobile e-commerce from both user and operational perspectives. It fills the gap in qualitative research on the sustainable development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in mobile e-commerce based on the grounded theory. This study provides valuable insights and inspiration for sustainable development in this field and lays the theoretical foundation and research reference for future studies.Design/methodology/approachBased on the grounded theory (GT), interview method was used to conduct the study.FindingsThe impact of AI applications on mobile e-commerce is mainly reflected in three stages of the customer shopping process. They are pre-shopping, mid-shopping and after-shopping AI services and each of the three stages has its own separate dimensions that need attention. The study and its persistence aspects are discussed.Practical implicationsThe results of this study can provide forward-looking suggestions and paths for the construction and optimization of future e-commerce platforms, contribute to the sustainable development of e-commerce and contribute to the sustainable and healthy growth of the social economy.Originality/valueThis study proposes sustainable development measures for the application of AI in mobile e-commerce, from operation to supervision, which is an important reference for promoting coordinated and rapid socio-economic development.