Artificial intelligence and business intelligence in small and medium enterprises: A bibliometric review of emerging research directions

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Business Intelligence (BI) are advancing decision-making and strategic management in Small and Medium Enterprises, thereby improving competitiveness and digital sustainability. While there is a plethora of research on the application of AI and BI in SMEs, the literature is scattered. It varies in its understanding, frameworks, and methodologies, making it challenging to integrate the available knowledge. Prior reviews lack depth and focus, providing little to no commentary on publication patterns, foundational ideas, and prospective research paths. This work attempts to fill this research gap with a bibliometric analysis of AI and BI in SMEs, based on a sample of publications from Web of Science and Scopus from the period of 2015 to 2025. This analysis aims to address significant gaps in the literature by measuring publication volumes across countries and by authors worldwide, using digital maps, collaboration networks, co-occurring keywords, and co-citation and thematic mapping techniques to monitor the research productivity and intellectual geography of the discipline. The results obtained demonstrate the presence of several significant and nascent research areas, improving our understanding of the essential technological, scientific and strategic research advancements in these fields. This review draws on relevant theory and policy concerning the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030), especially SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), which strengthen the value and relevance of this bibliometric analysis in shaping the adoption and sustainability of AI–BI within the context of SMEs.