Knowledgeable integration hybrid AI joins augmented reality and science literacy: Prospects and challenges

The digital era has transformed science education by integrating advanced technologies to improve scientific literacy in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Hybrid Artificial Intelligence (Hybrid AI) and Augmented Reality (AR) offer great potential in creating interactive, personalised, and immersive learning experiences. This bibliometric study aims to: (1) map global publication trends using annual production analysis; (2) uncover collaboration networks and geographic distribution using co-authorship analysis; (3) identify development prospects through keyword and co-occurrence analysis; (4) track thematic evolution and future research directions using theme analysis; and (5) examine technical and pedagogical challenges through co-citation analysis. Data were obtained from the Scopus database (2018–2025) covering 77 documents from 69 sources. The results show that international publications dominate this discourse, highlighting the use of immersive technologies to enhance conceptual understanding. Global institutions play a central role in collaboration networks, while Asia's contribution, particularly Indonesia's, remains limited. Three main clusters were identified: scientific literacy, AI-AR-based learning, and strengthening scientific reasoning in digital environments. While advances in immersive technology have enriched science learning, the systematic integration of hybrid AI, AR, and scientific literacy aligned with the SDGs remains underexplored. This study underscores the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration to strategically leverage AI and AR to achieve sustainable, inclusive, and transformative science education.