Opinion | AI slop and science
Summary
A new study reveals that AI use in academic writing increases productivity, especially among non-native English speakers, but may lead to lower publication quality as complex AI-generated language can mask weak research.
Key Points
- Generative AI use has significantly increased academic productivity, particularly among non-native English-speaking authors.
- Articles written with AI tend to use more complex language, but increased complexity correlates with lower publication likelihood for AI-assisted papers.
- AI-enhanced search engines like Bing expose users to a wider variety of recent academic sources than traditional search engines.
- AI challenges the use of complex language as an indicator of scholarly merit, necessitating better evaluation methods and possibly AI-powered review tools.
