Evolution of artificial intelligence research in digital commerce: a bibliometric analysis
TL;DR
This study presents an in-depth synthesis for researchers, policymakers, management educators, and industry practitioners by emphasizing the growing influence of artificial intelligence in redefining commercial practices and strategic orientations.
Abstract
Technological advancements have fundamentally altered digital commerce, with artificial intelligence (AI) undertaking an increasingly influential role. Despite the growing volume of academic work in this area, integrative and comprehensive review studies remain limited, particularly in bibliometric and cluster analysis to synthesize accumulated knowledge. This research aims to fill the literature gap by providing a detailed understanding of the emerging trends and patterns in AI's influence on digital commerce. Using the Scopus database, 3751 documents published between 2015 and 2025 were included, and the PRISMA framework was followed. Only documents classified as articles and conference papers in English were included, whereas document types such as books, reviews, editorials, letters, and notes were excluded to ensure consistency in the analysis. BiblioMagika and VOSviewer were employed to perform a detailed bibliometric analysis, covering trend and citation analyses, main contributors and institutions, as well as keyword co-occurrence examination. The findings indicated that the number of publications increased gradually from 76 in 2015 to 1006 in 2025. Interestingly, Robert D. Cairns from McGill University stands out as a key contributor, with seven publications in AI and digital commerce-related research. Among the listed institutions, Jadara University, Jordan, was recognized as the most prolific contributor, with eight publications, followed by Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia, with five publications. The keyword co-occurrence network analysis identified seven primary theme clusters, offering valuable insights into future research on AI's role in the digital commerce literature. This study presents an in-depth synthesis for researchers, policymakers, management educators, and industry practitioners by emphasizing the growing influence of artificial intelligence in redefining commercial practices and strategic orientations.