AI in Manufacturing: A comprehensive Keywords and Topics Analysis

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is among the advanced technologies driving significant transformations in the manufacturing sector. As a consequence, there has been a substantial increase in scholarly publications focusing on AI applications in manufacturing in recent years. This paper investigates the diverse applications of AI in manufacturing through a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature. The study employs metadata analysis, including titles, keywords, authors, and affiliations, to investigate regional variations and thematic trends in the field. Keywords are first analyzed for significance and categorized into 11 distinct categories. Significant keywords specific to each country are then identified to highlight individual research areas. Topic modeling is utilized to uncover nine key topics and their respective proportions across countries. Finally, clustering based on topic distributions identifies countries with similar research interests within AI applications in manufacturing. The theoretical implications emphasize the need to develop interdisciplinary approaches that reflect AI's transformative role in reshaping manufacturing. As AI drives shifts in technology, economics, and sustainability, it calls for an integration of new concepts like AI-led smart manufacturing and global innovation ecosystems, which are essential for understanding the broader societal and economic impacts. These shifts also underscore the importance of examining global technological convergence and international research collaborations.