AI-enhanced STEM education: A bibliometric study of research trends toward achieving sustainable development goals

This study aims to explore AI trend studies in STEM education using documents from the Scopus Database. Between 2015 and 2025, 171 documents were selected by researchers using the PRISMA method. The R language, Biblioshiny, and VOSviewer were later used to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric study. This review identifies the dominant and emerging trends in artificial intelligence applications in STEM education. The findings reveal a significant increase in studies on the use of AI in STEM education, with the dominant themes being personalized learning, machine learning, and, more recently, generative AI, such as ChatGPT. The findings revealed that integrating AI into STEM education can significantly contribute to achieving SDG 4 (quality education). It encourages equity, accessibility, and educational excellence. At the same time, it supports SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) by means of workforce development initiatives. The initiatives prepare students for high-quality jobs in AI economies where demand for AI skills has grown exponentially. Different countries, such as the USA, China, and Singapore, lead the research landscape but have unbalanced collaboration networks. SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) is a point of concern raised by the limited extent of research on a few nations. This is due to the possibility that economically and educationally diverse international settings might not be helped by AI-driven solutions and research agendas from rich contexts, potentially triggering increasing economic and educational inequalities. This research informs the strategic planning of AI-based applications in STEM education worldwide and provides insights into policymakers, scientists, and educators, while remaining aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.