Article
AI-Enabled Pathways to Financial Inclusion in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Bibliometric Analysis
Financial technology (FinTech) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have become important drivers of financial inclusion to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by enabling widespread access to finance that is affordable, transparent, and inclusive. Although many of the ideas in this area are of interest in recent scholarship, the intellectual framework and new trends of research are still disjointed. This study aims to fill this gap with a thorough bibliometric analysis of the research on AI, FinTech and financial inclusion. For the analysis, peer-reviewed publications, published from 2014 to June 2026, from the Scopus database (1479) were analysed. The knowledge structure and influential contributors, collaboration networks and the development of themes were mapped using bibliometric techniques such as performance analysis, co-authorship, co-citation, bibliographic coupling and keyword co-occurrence analysis in the VOSviewer. The analysis shows that the research activity has significantly grown during the last decade, and AI-based mobile banking, digital payments, alternative credit scoring, blockchain, and digital financial services are key themes. The innovations have made financial services more accessible, lower cost, more credit available, and more transparent, especially in developing countries. The analysis also presents research trends that are emerging such as AI for financial inclusion, gender gaps in financial access, digital financial literacy, responsible AI, regulatory frameworks, and the role of FinTech in promoting sustainable development. This study not only contributes to the existing body of knowledge but also points to future research avenues that can help both the research community and financial players, like financial institutions and technology developers, drive inclusive and sustainable financial ecosystems using AI and FinTech innovations.