Research Hot Spots and Development Trends of Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education

The field of higher education is experiencing unprecedented changes in the context of rapid iteration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Based on the bibliometric method, this paper analyzes the research hotspots and development trends of generative AI in the field of higher education between 2002 and 2025 by combining VOSviewer and CiteSpace tools. A study of 323 related literatures in the Web of Science core database reveals that generative AI shows significant application value in three dimensions: significant increase in educational efficiency, optimization of instructional design, and improvement of students' learning experience shows great potential. The study reveals the high frequency of keywords such as technology, students, and chatbots in the field, reflecting current research hot spots. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the main findings of existing research, reveal the shortcomings of current research, and provide prospective guidance for future theoretical innovation and practical application of AI technology in higher education.