The 10-Year Shift: How AI Reshaped Social Media from 2014 to 2024

Abstract

Social media has reshaped how we communicate, market products, and share information, leading to a significant rise in academic research over the past decade. The growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into social media has added new dimensions to this transformation, particularly in content personalization, misinformation detection, and automated user interactions. This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of AI-related social media research between 2014 and 2024 based on 996 documents indexed in Scopus. The analysis explores how research has evolved, which platforms have attracted the most attention, and what themes have emerged. Scopus keyword search results show that Messenger (295,816), Facebook (39,469), and YouTube (18,448) have dominated the academic landscape, reflecting their long-standing influence in digital communication. Meanwhile, platforms like TikTok and Mastodon, though smaller in publication volume, are gaining traction in recent studies, signalling a shift toward short-form video, decentralized networking, and AI-driven engagement. Platform-specific trends also emerged: Facebook is often linked with misinformation research, Instagram and TikTok with marketing, and LinkedIn with professional networking. The role of AI in social media studies has grown rapidly, especially in content curation, automated moderation, chatbot technology, and ethical concerns around privacy and deepfakes. While AI brings efficiency and personalization, it also raises issues like filter bubbles, algorithmic bias, and political polarization. This study identifies significant research gaps related to AI-generated content, regulatory challenges, and digital governance. By mapping out these trends, the study offers valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and tech leaders aiming to build more ethical, transparent, and user-focused social media platforms.