Artificial Intelligence in Education – Emerging Trends, Thematic Analysis & Application in Lifelong Learning

There has been a significant rise in the literature published on Artificial Intelligence in Education in recent times. The scope of the literature is vast, with the emergence of some niche themes that have relevance in lifelong learning. This study aims to analyse the emerging trends and themes in Artificial Intelligence in Education and how they may be useful in lifelong learning. The authors use 280 published pieces of literature from the SCOPUS database from 1976 to 2023 and the quantitative analysis tool Biblioshiny to analyse the data collected. The study shows a sudden surge in the literature on Artificial Intelligence in Education in 2016 and a continued rise since 2020. The study shows six clear clusters that emerge: Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence in Education, Explartificial Intelligencenable Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence Literacy, Teachers and Education Technology. Of these, Explartificial Intelligencenable Artificial Intelligence and Education Technology are niche. Artificial Intelligence Literacy and Teachers are emerging or declining themes. ChatGPT and learning clusters have the potential to become motor themes. Artificial Intelligence in Education has very well-developed basic themes. Artificial Intelligence is the emerging motor theme. The trend topics are also evolving at a very fast pace, given the rate of development in AI. The current trend topics include – Chat GPT, Generative Artificial Intelligence, and Ethics. Finally, the study develops a model to show how AI could be useful and an enabler in lifelong learning.