Study: Over Half of Peer Reviewers Now Use AI to Evaluate Research

Does this enable manipulation and undermine integrity, or does it responsibly enhance efficiency and rigor?

Published 1 day ago

Study: Over Half of Peer Reviewers Now Use AI to Evaluate Research

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Above: A phone screen displaying an AI sign, along with a silhouette of a paper shaped like a human face and binary code, on Jan. 15, 2023. Image credit: Jakub Porzycki/Contributor/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The Spin

Techno-optimist narrative

AI adoption in peer review represents responsible innovation that addresses the overwhelming volume of research publications modern reviewers face. With proper transparency requirements, training and governance frameworks, AI tools enhance efficiency and clarity while supporting methodological rigor. The research community shows strong enthusiasm for AI-assisted review, particularly among early-career researchers and in rapidly growing research regions.

Frontiers Research Information Nature

Techno-skeptic narrative

Hidden AI prompts in academic papers expose a crisis in peer review integrity, with researchers deliberately manipulating AI-powered reviewers through invisible text instructions. These prompt injections represent a sophisticated form of peer review manipulation that undermines the entire quality control system of academic publishing. The practice reveals how widespread AI use by reviewers has created new opportunities for misconduct that current research guidelines fail to address.

The Conversation The Japan Times