A Decade of Research on Circular Economy and AI-Driven Financial Performance: A Bibliometric Perspective
摘要
The bibliometric tool Bibliography within the R package enables complete content analysis on Circular Economy (CE) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration from citation and co-citation viewpoints. The researchers conducted systematic database extraction in Scopus and continued with appropriate checks to obtain 438 research papers. Researchers found that only about three papers were published in 2016–17, yet the topic surged to more than 200 in 2024–25 as academic interest in the field increased substantially during the past ten years. The sequence of thematic developments throughout it observes AI,s ascending influence on CE practices, including predictive maintenance, resource optimisation, and waste reduction methods. Sustainable production intersects with green innovation and AI-driven circular business models as key thematic domains. The co-occurrence analysis demonstrates how industries attracted by practical solutions now replace theoretical models as their primary focus. Research contributions in this field mainly originate from three nations: the United Kingdom, China and India. Politecnico di Milano leads this research with strong support from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the University of Cambridge. This research outlines three new directions for digital sustainability which include blockchain-based circular systems and artificial intelligence support for climate action and ESG (Environmental Social Governance) goals. The data demonstrates AI,s rising importance as a reactive tool for quickening circular value chain transformations.