Mapping the Contributions of Middle Eastern Countries to Artificial Intelligence in Business and Economics: A Scopus-Based Bibliometric Analysis

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology in various sectors, notably Business and Economics. Research on AI's application in the Middle East, especially in these sectors, remains limited, highlighting a gap in bibliometric studies. This study sought to address this deficiency by evaluating the contributions of authors, affiliations, and countries to AI in Business and Economics, identifying key journals and under-researched topics. Employing bibliometric analysis of 723 Scopus-indexed documents and VOSviewer for visualization, the research pinpointed 2024 as the year with the most publications, totaling 316 documents. Hamdan, A. from Ahlia University in Bahrain was the most prolific author, with Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates leading in publication numbers. The journal "Studies in Systems, Decision, and Control" emerged as the foremost publication outlet. Keyword analysis revealed five principal clusters: AI integration in business processes, technology, model optimization, big data processing, and regional marketing strategies. These findings emphasize AI's role in fostering innovation and efficiency in the region's business and economic landscape. Future studies could explore areas like consumer behavior, risk management, AI ethics, and quantitative finance to enhance AI utilization in the Middle East.