AI-Driven Social Media Learning Ecosystems in Higher Education: A PRISMA-Based Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the Higher Education sector, impacting teaching, learning, assessment, and institutional management practice. At the same time, social media has developed into a dynamic learning platform that offers opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing and learner engagement. While the use of AI-driven tools in education is rising, the current studies on the subject are scattered, especially when it comes to the role of AI and social media in a holistic learning environment. Thus, the present study aims to present a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA that aggregates the current knowledge about the social media learning ecosystem in higher education through the use of artificial intelligence. The review comprised 80 peer-reviewed articles published from 2020 to 2026, sourced from prominent academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis and Emerald Insight. A thematic synthesis method was used to derive the main themes in the studies, trends, methodological patterns and gaps in the existing studies. The results show that AI is being used more and more to support personalized learning, adaptive learning systems, learning analytics, generative AI applications, intelligent assessment and collaborative learning environments in the digital world. The review also emphasizes how AI and social media technologies are becoming increasingly interconnected in supporting learner engagement, learning networks, knowledge co-creation and data-informed education decision-making. But issues of academic honesty, privacy and confidentiality concerns, algorithmic bias, digital inequality, ethics in algorithmic governance, and learner well-being issues are still pressing. The study also finds key methodological and contextual gaps, such as few long-term studies, lack of ecosystem-based studies, and lack of representation of developing countries. By offering a comprehensive ecosystem view of the nature of the transformation of education through AI, the review makes a significant contribution to the existing body of literature and provides practical implications for educators, school leaders, policy makers, and researchers. The results highlight the importance of responsible, inclusive and human-centred development of future social media learning ecosystems in higher education that use AI.