Scientists using LLMs will ‘do more, less well’, modelling study predicts
A new modelling study suggests that while large language models (LLMs) can boost scientific productivity, they may lead to a decline in the quality of research. Researchers argue that the current academic incentive system, which prioritizes quantity, encourages scientists to use AI to churn out more papers rather than refining their work.
Why it matters
This highlights a growing concern regarding the impact of AI on the integrity and depth of scientific discovery.
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Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Whatsapp X The rising use of artificial-intelligence tools by scientists could increase their productivity, but this might come at the cost of quality. Credit: Getty
Scientists who use large language models (LLMs) to help them with their research will spend less time refining their work and instead jump quickly to fresh projects, according to a modelling study 1 .
Adoption of LLMs will cause scientists to “do more, less well — rather than the same amount, better”, write the authors. But they say that such artificial-intelligence tools do not bear all of the blame for that outcome.
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