Mapping Artificial Intelligence–Supported Community of Inquiry Research in Higher Education: A Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping collaborative inquiry in higher education, yet its integration with the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework remains conceptually and methodologically fragmented. This study employs CiteSpace-based scientometric analysis to map the intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and emerging trends of AI-supported CoI research. A curated dataset of 85 publications from Web of Science and Scopus was analyzed through reference co-citation, keyword co-occurrence, and citation burst detection. Results indicate that the field remains anchored in CoI’s core constructs (cognitive and social presence and related component dimensions), while AI functions primarily as an enabling analytic and design layer. Emerging fronts such as learning analytics, machine learning, and generative AI suggest a trajectory from theory building to data-driven expansion and, more recently, AI-supported learning design and discourse analysis. Burst detection further highlights growing attention to engagement, online discussion, and AI-enhanced collaboration, underscoring the hybrid evolution of pedagogical theory and computational methods.