A bibliometric mapping of research trends in artificial intelligence-enabled virtual reality STEM education

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education faces persistent challenges, including inadequate laboratory facilities, high equipment costs, and growing demand for industry-ready graduates. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled Virtual Reality (VR) technologies offer potential solutions through intelligent and immersive learning environments. However, comprehensive bibliometric evidence on the development, thematic evolution, and conceptual structure of this emerging field remains limited. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of AI-enabled VR STEM education research published between 2005 and 2025. A systematic search of the Dimensions.ai database, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, identified 241 eligible publications. Bibliometric techniques, including publication trend and citation analysis, keyword co-occurrence, and conceptual structure mapping, were performed using VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix package. The findings demonstrated that the field is highly recent, with 84.6% of publications appearing between 2023 and 2025 and a defined growth inflection in 2023, coinciding with the emergence of generative AI rather than the COVID-19 pandemic. Citation performance is strong, with 92 of 127 publications (72.4%) having field-normalised citation scores at or above the global average. Nevertheless, the field remains highly fragmented, characterised by dispersed authorship, publication venues, and conceptual structures. Emerging research increasingly addresses ethics, accessibility, scalability, and data privacy alongside technological innovation, indicating a shift toward responsible and sustainable deployment. While the literature strongly supports SDG 4 (Quality Education), comparatively little attention is given to SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). These findings provide a foundation for future research, collaboration, and policy development in AI-enabled VR STEM education.