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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Industrial engineering research has been reshaped by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the framework of Industry 4.0, characterized by the interplay between cyber-physical systems (CPS), advanced automation, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). While this integration opens new opportunities, it also introduces biases that undermine the reliability and robustness of scientific and industrial outcomes. This article presents a systematic literature review (SLR), supported by natural language processing techniques, aimed at identifying and classifying biases in AI-driven research within industrial contexts. Based on this meta-research approach, a taxonomy is proposed that maps biases across the stages of the scientific method as well as the operational layers of intelligent production systems. Statistical analysis confirms that biases are unevenly distributed, with a higher incidence in hypothesis formulation and results dissemination. The study also identifies emergent AI-related biases specific to industrial applications such as predictive maintenance, quality control, and digital twin management. Practical implications include stronger reliability in predictive analytics for manufacturers, improved accuracy in monitoring and rescue operations through transparent AI pipelines, and enhanced reproducibility for researchers across stages. Mitigation strategies are then discussed to safeguard research integrity and support trustworthy, bias-aware decision-making in Industry 4.0.

Details

Title
Biases in AI-Supported Industry 4.0 Research: A Systematic Review, Taxonomy, and Mitigation Strategies
Author
Arévalo-Royo, Javier 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Francisco-Javier, Flor-Montalvo 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Juan-Ignacio, Latorre-Biel 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Jiménez-Macías Emilio 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Martínez-Cámara, Eduardo 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Blanco-Fernández, Julio 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Institute of Smart Cities (ISC), Public University of Navarre, 31006 Pamplona, Spain; [email protected] (J.A.-R.); [email protected] (J.-I.L.-B.) 
 Higher School of Engineering and Technology, International University of La Rioja (UNIR), 26004 Logroño, Spain; [email protected] 
 Department of Electrical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logroño, Spain; [email protected] 
 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of La Rioja, 26004 Logroño, Spain; [email protected] 
First page
10913
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20763417
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3265830226
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.