Marker words suggest sharp rise in AI-assisted biomedical writing after ChatGPT
Up until two years ago, using large language models was still considered a special skill that everyone was encouraged to learn. Now, it is ubiquitous, especially in writing research papers that eventually become part of the scientific knowledge we build around a subject.
A recent study has revealed a sharp increase in AI-assisted biomedical writing following the launch of ChatGPT. By analyzing over 1.1 million English-language biomedical studies published between 2017 and 2025, researchers found that nearly 90% of open-access papers showed evidence of AI assistance by 2025. The prevalence of AI use varied across different sections of a paper, with the discussion section showing the strongest signs at 78%, while only 54% of methods paragraphs displayed AI involvement.
The strongest signs of AI use were observed in papers led by authors from non-native English-speaking countries, such as South Korea, China, and Taiwan, with rates exceeding 80%. In contrast, native English-speaking countries like the U.K. and the U.S. exhibited much lower rates. This trend raises concerns among experts, as AI models are prone to generating inaccurate information, which can lead to errors and potential academic fraud.
While AI chatbots can enhance writing skills by providing instant feedback on grammar and style, the increasing use of AI in academic writing is also raising ethical concerns. Many authors are ignoring existing ethical guidelines for LLM use and failing to disclose its use, potentially undermining public trust in scientific research.
Despite these challenges, the study emphasizes that AI assistance has become an integral part of academic writing, and robust guardrails are needed to ensure the quality of AI-produced content matches the standards expected in scholarly literature.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
