Applications of artificial intelligence in supply chain: A bibliometric study

This master's thesis provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of how Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications have been integrated into Supply Chain Management (SCM) between 2013 and 2023. The primary aim of the study is to reveal the contributions of AI technologies to logistics processes in the era of Industry 4.0 and digital transformation, as well as to identify the main research focuses, collaboration networks, and institutional interactions in this field. Analyses centered on themes such as "demand forecasting," "process optimization," and "blockchain" explore academic productivity and knowledge-sharing dynamics in depth. A total of 1,237 articles retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases were meticulously screened at the title, abstract, and full-text levels according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Clear inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to arrive at the final sample. Quantitative indicators—such as annual publication growth rate, total and average citation counts, and h-index—were calculated using R and the bibliometrix package. For visualization, VOSviewer was used to generate keyword co-occurrence maps and inter-institutional collaboration networks. The findings show that AI–SCM research experienced low output from 2013 to 2016, followed by a rapid increase from 2017 onward in studies focused on demand forecasting and process optimization. Research on "blockchain" accelerated after 2020, spawning new international collaboration opportunities. In terms of disciplinary distribution, Computer Science (38 %), Engineering (27 %), and Business (20 %) dominate, whereas fields such as Health and Environmental Sciences remain underrepresented. Institutional network analysis highlights universities in the USA, China, and Germany as central nodes in the literature, and the Journal of Supply Chain Management and International Journal of Production Research emerge as the most influential journals by publication volume and citation impact. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Supply Chain Management; Blockchain