Artificial Intelligence Specialization in the European Union: Underexplored Role of the Periphery at NUTS-3 Level
This research identifies strategic opportunities for peripheral regions in the EU to develop competitive AI niches, though it is incremental as it builds on existing bibliometric methods to map regional specialization.
This study analyzed the geographical distribution of AI research production across 781 European regions at the NUTS-3 level from 2015 to 2024, finding that peripheral regions, especially in Eastern Europe and Spain, show the highest relative AI specialization, but there is virtually no correlation between specialization and citation impact, with Fyn (Denmark) achieving exceptional citation impact (RCI > 4) despite low specialization.
This study examines the geographical distribution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) research production across European regions at the NUTS-3 level for the period 2015-2024. Using bibliometric data from Clarivate InCites and the Citation Topics classification system, we analyze two hierarchical levels of thematic aggregation: Electrical Engineering, Electronics & Computer Science (Macro Citation Topic 4) and Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (Meso Citation Topic 4.61). We calculate the Relative Specialization Index (RSI) and Relative Citation Impact (RCI) for 781 NUTS-3 regions. While major metropolitan hubs such as Paris (IIle-de-France), Warszawa, and Madrid lead in absolute production volume, our findings reveal that peripheral regions, particularly from Eastern Europe and Spain, exhibit the highest levels of relative AI specialization. Notably, we find virtually no correlation between regional specialization and citation impact, identifying four distinct regional profiles: high-impact specialized regions (e.g., Granada, Jaen, Vilniaus), high-volume but low-impact regions (e.g., Bugas, several Polish regions), high-impact non-specialized regions, with Fyn (Denmark) standing out as a remarkable outlier achieving exceptional citation impact (RCI > 4) despite low specialization, and diversified portfolios with selective excellence (e.g., German regions). These results suggest that AI research represents a strategic opportunity for peripheral regions to develop competitive scientific niches, though achieving international visibility requires more than research volume alone.