<p>This article presents a systematic review of social science research on artificial intelligence, with a specific focus on its application in the context of population ageing. Drawing on 81 peer-reviewed articles (42 in English, 39 in Chinese) published between 2018 and 2024, the study identifies substantial cross-cultural differences in research themes, methodological practices and research quality. Chinese scholarship primarily concentrates on macro-level concerns such as labour supply, industrial transformation and policy planning, reflecting a collectivist orientation and alignment with state-driven agendas. In contrast, English-language studies are more attentive to micro-level dynamics, including user experience, ethical dilemmas and health technologies, underpinned by traditions of individualism and rights-based discourse. Methodologically, Chinese research privileges quantitative and normative approaches, whilst English research demonstrates greater methodological pluralism, incorporating qualitative, empirical and theoretical work. Whilst English publications exhibit slightly higher average quality scores, both corpora reveal enduring limitations in the rigour and evaluation of qualitative research. These divergences are shaped by broader socio-cultural conditions, data accessibility and disciplinary paradigms. Ageing research, thus, offers a critical vantage point from which to interrogate the evolving relationship between technological innovation and social scientific inquiry. More broadly, the findings underscore the need for cross-cultural methodological dialogue, multi-scalar integration (across macro-, meso-, and micro-levels) and enhanced ethical and epistemological reflexivity in AI-related research. As AI becomes increasingly embedded in fields such as healthcare, governance and long-term care, population ageing emerges as a generative domain for rethinking the normative and conceptual boundaries of the social sciences in the algorithmic era.</p>