Mapping the Intersection of AI and Science Fiction: A Data-Driven Analysis Using R-Package

Abstract

This study investigates the intersection between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and science fiction (Sci-Fi), using bibliometrix R-Package and VOSviewer network visualizations to analyze data from the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. The search yielded 462 articles from WoS and a significantly larger corpus of 1029 articles from Scopus. Our findings indicate that Computer Science is the predominant field in AI and Sci-Fi research, accounting for 39% and 40% of the documents in WoS and Scopus, respectively. This underscores the central role of Computer Science in shaping AI within Sci-Fi narratives. Notably, in Scopus, Engineering and Mathematics also emerged as significant categories, highlighting the research’s strong technical and quantitative focus. The study also reveals a keen interest in understanding AI’s societal impacts, as evidenced by numerous Humanities and Social Sciences articles. Additionally, recent AI and Sci-Fi research trends, such as ’chatbots’, ’ChatGPT’, ’metaverse’, and ’privacy’, were identified. These trends align with advancements in natural language processing (NLP), virtual realities (VR), data privacy, and deep learning technologies, indicating a shift in academic focus towards these cutting-edge areas. This comprehensive study offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of AI and Sci-Fi research, guiding future scholarly exploration in these dynamically interconnected fields.