This study maps the intellectual structure and thematic evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital marketing through a bibliometric analysis of 827 Scopus-indexed articles (1986–2026). Utilizing Bibliometrix and VOSviewer, performance analysis and science mapping reveal recent, accelerated growth across interdisciplinary outlets. China, the US, and India lead productivity, while Malaysia, Jordan, Australia, and the UK drive international collaboration. Thematic mapping identifies machine learning for commerce and consumer behavior as a dominant motor theme. In contrast, human-centric social media research remains a specialized niche, and generative AI emerges as a fast-growing frontier. Furthermore, co-citation networks expose a three-pillar intellectual foundation rooted in digital transformation, quantitative methodology, and technology adoption behavior. Ultimately, this long-horizon science map highlights strategic opportunities to integrate emerging generative AI and human-centric approaches with established, analytics-driven marketing frameworks.