Over three quarters of academic researcher and research authors are using AI such as machine translation and chatbots despite their concerns over the loss of critical thinking skills and intellectual property rights.

According to a new study by Oxford University Press (OUP), around a third of researchers said they are concerned that the technology will negatively affect their skills, while a quarter said AI reduces the need for critical thinking.

The survey of over 2,000 researchers across different disciplines and career stages found that despite the widespread use of AI, just eight per cent trust that AI companies will not use their research data without permission, while only six per cent said they trust companies to meet their data privacy and security needs.

Around three in five respondents felt that the use of AI in research could undermine intellectual property, and result in authors not being recognised appropriately for use of their work.

Of the researchers who have already used AI in their work, 67 per cent felt it has benefitted them in some way. A further 27 per cent said they are excited for the prospects of AI for academic research, with data analysis and surfacing content seen as ways which it could potentially improve research outcomes.

“Throughout OUP’s history we have embraced new opportunities offered by technological advancement—in line with our mission to publish rigorous, high quality academic resources—responding to the needs of the academic community, while ensuring that the scholarship we publish remains valued and protected,” said David Clark, managing director of OUP’s academic division. “This research will help us to understand how researchers are thinking about AI and its use in their work.”

He continued: “As these technologies continue to rapidly develop, our priority is in working with research authors and the broader research community to set clear standards for how that evolution should take place.”

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