Researchers have increasingly relied on AI-powered language generation programs like ChatGPT to write or polish their studies, according to a study by Andrew Gray, a librarian at University College London. The study analyzed over five million scientific studies published in 2023 and found that the use of certain words such as meticulously, intricate, commendable and meticulous had increased significantly with percentages ranging from 59% to 137%.
Gray attributes this rise in the use of these words to the widespread adoption of ChatGPT and similar AI tools by tens of thousands of researchers. While in some cases, AI is used to correct errors and improve text quality, there remains a gray area where the assistance of AI is taken further without proper verification of results. In fact, Gray estimates that over 60,000 scientific studies published in 2023 were created with the help of these AI tools, which represents around 1% of the total number of studies published that year.
The study also revealed an increase in terms like intricate and meticulously across scientific studies in 2023. This suggests a potential shift in academic language due to the prevalent use of AI among non-native English speakers who often rely on ChatGPT for translation and language improvement. Concerns about the impact of this AI-driven language on the quality and substance of research are widespread among scholars worldwide.
However, it’s worth noting that not all uses of AI in academic writing are created equal. A study led by James Zou at Stanford University found that AI language models tend to use words with positive connotations disproportionately. For instance, they frequently use terms like commendable, meticulous, intricate, innovative and versatile. Zou’s team also observed an increase in the use of ChatGPT among reviewers of scientific studies, which had a significant impact on the quality of reviews. However, prestigious journals like those in the Nature group showed fewer traces
