AI Tools in Academic Writing: Aid or Ethical Grey Area?

Jon is a PhD student at a university in Norway, specializing in technology. He is currently writing a scientific article as part of his dissertation. Like many researchers, Jon is pressed for time and wants to streamline the writing process. Having heard a lot about artificial intelligence (AI), he decides to explore how various AI tools might assist him.

Jon is unsure about which specific topic to focus on for his article. To help decide, he uses an AI tool that analyzes trends in recent research and suggests relevant topics. The tool provides him with a list of subjects that have gained attention in recent years. Jon selects one based partly on the AI recommendations.

• Is it problematic for Jon to let an AI tool influence his choice of research topic?
• To what extent could this affect the freedom of research and originality?

To gain an overview of existing research, Jon uses an AI tool that finds relevant articles and summarizes their main findings. This makes the literature review process quicker and more efficient. Additionally, the tool suggests how different articles are related to one another.

• How should Jon engage with the sources found by the AI tool?

Once Jon has a clear understanding of the topic and existing research, he uses an AI tool to generate potential research questions. The tool analyzes past studies and suggests questions that are underexplored in the literature. Jon uses these suggestions as inspiration but adapts them to better suit his own research.

• Can Jon ethically use AI in this way? What risks might this pose to the project and academic research in general?

Jon wants to save time drafting his article, so he uses an AI tool to generate text based on his notes and keywords. Afterward, he revises the text to ensure it reflects his own understanding and voice. However, a significant portion of the first draft is machine-generated.

• Is it ethically acceptable to use AI to generate parts of a scientific article?
• When does AI usage become problematic in terms of academic integrity and authorship?
• Can Jon be sure that his article remains original?

Throughout his research process, Jon uses AI in various ways to streamline his work. However, he faces important ethical dilemmas:

1. Where should we draw the line regarding the acceptable use of AI in academic research?
2. How can researchers ensure they maintain their critical and analytical roles when AI becomes integral to the process?
3. Should guidelines be established for the use of AI in academic writing? If so, what should they include?
4. How does the use of AI in academic writing differ from other digital tools, such as spell checkers and reference management software?
5. Many scientific journals have guidelines on AI tool usage, requiring it to be clearly documented. Should researchers always explicitly state when and how AI has been used in their academic work?

This case was written with the help of AI.