This research aims to compare the effects of metaverse and artificial intelligence technologies in the fields of recreation and sport, and to examine the research trends in both fields and the interactions between these fields. In the research, two bibliometric analyses were conducted to understand the effects of metaverse and artificial intelligence technologies in the fields of recreation and sport. Firstly, the Web of Science database was searched to access publications on recreation, metaverse and artificial intelligence and 70 articles were analyzed. Secondly, another search was made for publications on sport, metaverse and artificial intelligence and 1,046 articles were analyzed. The fact that there is no study comparing the effects of metaverse and artificial intelligence technologies in the fields of recreation and sports in the relevant literature reveals the originality of this study. The results of the study reveal that metaverse and artificial intelligence have shown a significant increase in recent years and that research in both fields has been carried out with global cooperation. The year 2024 draws attention as the year with the most research. Annual growth rates and citation analyses show that academic interest in these fields is increasing.

Research emphasizes the potential of metaverse and artificial intelligence technologies to enhance user experiences and improve performance, not only technically but also in social, psychological and physical dimensions. In addition, it was determined that the main keywords related to metaverse and artificial intelligence constitute important themes in both fields. Virtual reality and machine learning in the field of recreation and machine learning, artificial intelligence and performance analysis in the field of sports were the most preferred words. As a result, it was concluded that these technologies are increasingly used in the fields of recreation and sports and research in this field is increasing rapidly. In the future, it is expected that these technologies will be integrated more and new opportunities will be offered through interdisciplinary research.