Understanding the Conceptual Structure of Large Language Models through Bibliographical Network

Large Language Models represent a transformative technology at the forefront of artificial intelligence and natural language processing, with applications spanning diverse domains. This study conducts a comprehensive science mapping analysis of the LLMs research field, leveraging bibliometric techniques to uncover its thematic structure, trends, and global actors involved. Utilizing data from the Web of Science, a corpus of 1303 research documents from 2010 to 2023 is analyzed, revealing a notable surge in research activity, particularly in recent years. Key thematic areas driving research within the field are identified, including chatbot, code generation, augmented reality, transformers, and machine learning paradigms. Foundational technologies such as transformers are pivotal in shaping the research landscape, while emerging themes like prompt learning hint at future directions. This study offers valuable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers seeking to navigate the dynamic landscape of LLMs research and harness its full potential for societal benefit.