Artificial intelligence in higher education: A bibliometric study on best practices and ethical guidelines

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education has grown rapidly, posing ethical, methodological, and regulatory challenges. This bibliometric study analyzes the scientific output indexed in Scopus on AI in higher education, with an emphasis on best practices and ethical guidelines. Through a structured search, more than 750.000 documents on AI were identified, but only 4.699 address its ethical use in education. The findings reflect concerns about transparency, fairness, and privacy in the application of AI in educational settings. Tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot have been studied for their impact on personalized learning and teaching automation. Using productivity, impact, and co-citation indicators, key sources such as the ACM International Conference Proceeding Series and Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence were identified. The keyword analysis highlights artificial intelligence as the central theme, followed by ChatGPT, ethics, and education. In terms of citations, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Germany lead scientific production. Despite the surge in research, it is crucial to establish clear guidelines for its ethical implementation. This study provides a foundation for the development of sustainable and innovative educational policies. JEL Codes: L26, R11, D22. Received: 13/04/2025. Accepted: 23/01/2026. Published: 27/05/2026.