From Agents to Sustainability: Charting the Evolution and Impact of Multi-Agent Systems in Circular Supply Chain Management

The integration of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) into supply chain management presents transformative opportunities for achieving circular economy (CE) goals and sustainability objectives. This bibliometric study systematically analyzes 281 peer-reviewed articles extracted from Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases (2005–2025), leveraging VOSviewer software for comprehensive analysis. Six thematic clusters emerged, revealing significant MAS applications across diverse domains: sustainable circular supply chains, urban waste management, closed-loop decision-making frameworks, industrial environmental management, specialized waste recycling optimization, and agricultural bioeconomy initiatives. The findings underscore MAS's vital role in promoting decentralized decision-making, resource optimization, lifecycle sustainability, and environmental resilience. Despite demonstrated benefits, challenges in scalability, real-time data integration, and socio-economic complexities highlight avenues for future research. This study provides valuable insights for researchers, industry practitioners, and policymakers, guiding further MAS-driven innovations for sustainable circular economy transitions.