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How Nature streamline writing tasks, by providing a quick

initial framework that could be edited into a
existed. I think it is very misleading.”
Others were concerned that such tools

readers are more detailed final version.

using ChatGPT
Researchers are keen to experiment with
using generative artificial intelligence (AI)
tools such as the advanced chatbot ChatGPT
to help with their work, according to a
survey of Nature readers. But they are also
concerned about the potential for errors and
false information.
Of 672 readers who responded to an
online questionnaire, around 80% have used
ChatGPT or a similar AI tool at least once.
More than one-fifth use such tools regularly
— 8% said they use them every day, and
14% several times per week. Around 38% of
respondents know of other researchers who
use the tools for research or teaching (see
‘Chatbot users’).
A considerable proportion of
respondents — 57% — said they use ChatGPT
or similar tools for “creative fun not related
“Generative language models are really
useful for people like me, for whom English
isn’t their first language. It helps me write
a lot more fluently and quicker than ever
before. It’s like having a professional
language editor by my side while writing a
paper,” says Dhiliphan Madhav, a biologist
at the Central Leather Research Institute in
Chennai, India.
But the optimism was balanced by
concerns about the reliability of the
tools, and the possibility of misuse. Many
respondents were worried about the potential
for errors or bias in the results provided by
AI. “ChatGPT once created a completely
fictitious literature list for me,” says Sanas
Mir‑Bashiri, a molecular biologist at the
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in
Germany. “None of the publications actually
CHATBOT USERS
Most survey respondents have tried generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools,
and some said they use them to help with various research-related tasks.
could be used dishonestly, for cheating
on assignments, for example, or to
generating plausible-sounding scientific
disinformation. The idea that AI could
be used by ‘paper mills’ to produce fake
scientific publications was mentioned
frequently, as was the possibility that
over-reliance on AI for writing tasks could
impede researchers’ creativity and stunt the
learning process.
The key, many agreed, is to see AI as a
way to help with work, rather than to replace
work altogether. “AI can be a useful tool.
However, it has to remain one of the tools.
Its limitations and defects have always to
be clearly kept in mind and governed,” says
Maria Grazia Lampugnani, a retired biologist
from Milan, Italy.
By Brian Owens

to research”. Among the uses related to

Q: How often do you use ChatGPT, GPT-3, DALL-E, MidJourney, Stable
science, brainstorming research ideas was Diffusion, any other ‘generative AI’ tools, or products built using them?
the most common, with 27% of respondents I use them
indicating they had tried it. Almost 24% every day I use them I’ve tried them out for interest
of respondents said they use generative 8.4% occasionally but don't use them seriously
(56 respondents) 17.9% (120) 39.3% (263)
AI tools for writing computer code, and
around 16% each said they use the tools to
I use them more Never
help write research manuscripts, produce than once a week 20.6% (138)
presentations or conduct literature reviews. 13.9% (93)
Just 10% said they use them to help write
grant applications and 10% to generate Q: What do you use these tools for? (Choose all that apply).

graphics and pictures. (These numbers are For creative fun not
based on a subset of around 500 responses; related to my research
a technical error in the poll initially To brainstorm
research ideas
prevented people from selecting more than
one option.) To help write code

Survey participants shared their thoughts

N/A (I don’t use them)
on the potential of generative AI, and
concerns about its use, through open-ended To help write
presentations
answers. Some predicted that the tools
Conducting literature
would have the biggest beneficial impacts reviews
on research by helping with tasks that can To help write research
be boring, onerous or repetitive, such as manuscripts
crunching numbers or analysing large data Other
sets; writing and debugging code; and
To help create graphics
conducting literature searches. “It’s a good or pictures
tool to do the basics so you can concentrate To help write grant
on ‘higher thinking’ or customization of the applications
AI-created content,” says Jessica Niewint-Gori, Within scientific
search engines
a researcher at INDIRE, the Italian ministry of
To help write coursework
education’s institute for educational research or exams
and innovation in Florence. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Some hoped that AI could speed up and Number of answers (from 486 responses)

20 | Nature | Vol 615 | 2 March 2023

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