A comprehensive study of groundbreaking machine learning research: Analyzing highly cited and impactful publications across six decades

Machine learning (ML) has emerged as a prominent field of research in computer science and other related fields, thereby driving advancements in other domains of interest. As the field continues to evolve, it is crucial to understand the landscape of highly cited publications to identify key trends, influential authors, and significant contributions made thus far. In this paper, we present a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of highly cited ML publications. We collected a dataset consisting of the top-cited papers from reputable ML conferences and journals, covering a period of several years from 1959 to 2022. We employed various bibliometric techniques to analyze the data, including citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, keyword analysis, and publication trends. Our findings reveal the most influential papers, highly cited authors, and collaborative networks within the machine learning community. We identify popular research themes and uncover emerging topics that have recently gained significant attention. Furthermore, we examine the geographical distribution of highly cited publications, highlighting the dominance of certain countries in ML research. By shedding light on the landscape of highly cited ML publications, our study provides valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand the key developments and trends in this rapidly evolving field.