Based on insights from the European Commission’s latest study on AI in research (2025)
Imagine this:
A young researcher is preparing a proposal for a life-changing medical innovation. Instead of spending weeks summarizing 100+ scientific papers, they ask a chatbot to help. Within minutes, they have a clear structure, key insights, and even a polished paragraph.
That’s not science fiction — it’s happening in labs and universities across the world right now.
A brand-new European Commission study reveals just how fast Generative AI (GenAI) tools — like ChatGPT — are reshaping research. Mentions of AI chatbots in academic papers have increased nearly 13-fold since late 2022.
So… what does this mean for the future of science?
The Bright Side: Efficiency, Inclusion & Innovation
Researchers are already using GenAI to:
✔ Speed up literature reviews
✔ Improve clarity and readability of scientific writing
✔ Brainstorm research ideas
✔ Support non-native English speakers to publish more equitably
✔ Automate repetitive steps in data analysis
Whole sectors are benefiting from health sciences, to engineering, to social sciences.
This means more time for real discovery, and potentially faster scientific breakthroughs.
The Other Side: Integrity, Trust & Transparency
But rapid adoption comes with deep questions:
Who is the real author when AI helps write the paper? How do we prevent fabricated sources or biased results?
Could quality and trust in science be weakened?
What happens if we hide AI contributions?
Even though tens of thousands of papers already mention AI use, only 8% discuss ethical risks. That gap is worrying.
As researchers push ahead, academic integrity and transparency must keep up.
Research & Education: A Shared Challenge
Universities have a double mission: to create knowledge and teach critical thinking.
AI supports personalized learning and quicker feedback, but overuse may weaken essential skills like reasoning and reflection.
Educators now ask: are we teaching students to think — or to prompt?
Therefore, the European Commission study calls for:
- Common rules for responsible GenAI use
- Clear standards for disclosure in academic publishing
- Updated ethics guidelines that evolve with the technology
- Better monitoring of AI’s real impact on scientific quality
Policies already exist — such as the EU AI Act — but they now must reach real research practices. Transparency will be key.
The future of science depends on trust —
trust in data, in results, and in each other.