Communicating Shariah and Regulatory Frames for AI-Powered Halal Auditing

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is perceived as a communication agent in identifying Shariah and regulatory aspects of halal audit in Malaysia. AI offers transformative potential to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and transparency in the monitoring process. It strengthens the compliance and verification process of the halal audit. It is found that past research has overlooked Shariah and regulatory perspectives in halal auditing. Therefore, this study seeks to identify dominant frames used in the existing literature regarding Shariah compliance and regulatory requirements in AI-powered halal auditing systems. Guided by Compliance Theory, which categorises motivations into normative, coercive, and instrumental compliance, the research adopts a qualitative meta-analysis of ten articles published between 2022 and 2025. The findings reveal that instrumental compliance driven by strategic benefits such as operational efficiency, digital transformation, and cost reduction is the most prevalent frame, followed by coercive compliance, which is motivated by external and regulatory enforcement. Normative compliance, rooted in ethical and religious obligations, was least emphasised, highlighting a risk of underrepresenting Shariah-based motivations in AI adoption. The results suggest that while AI can serve as a strategic enabler for halal auditing, over-reliance on instrumental and coercive approaches may undermine the deeper Shariah and Islamic ethical principles. The study highlights the importance of developing balanced communication strategies that integrate AI adoption with regulatory requirements and Shariah principles, ensuring the integrity of AI-powered halal audits throughout the entire halal ecosystem.