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Study Finds Scholars Use AI Despite Fears of Professional Shame
A new study looked at how researchers use generative AI in their work.
It surveyed 1,138 communication scholars in 77 countries.
About seven in ten said they use AI for at least one research task.
They use it for jobs such as proofreading, coding, finding research, and brainstorming.
AI can make difficult or repetitive work faster and easier.
However, researchers worry that AI can give wrong answers, expose private information, or repeat unfair biases.
Some are also concerned about the electricity and water needed to run large AI systems.
Researchers may feel embarrassed or worried that others will judge them if they admit using AI.
The study says universities should provide flexible rules that require openness and careful human checking rather than banning AI outright.
A study of 1,138 communication scholars across 77 countries found that 69.2% use generative AI for at least one research task.
Researchers use AI for writing, proofreading, literature reviews, coding, data visualisation, brainstorming, and developing research materials.
Participants cited inaccurate outputs, privacy and security risks, bias, and environmental concerns linked to AI systems.
Many scholars fear that disclosing AI use could harm their professional reputation, a concern the researchers call “AI-shame.”
The study recommends flexible institutional guidance focused on transparency, human oversight, and checking AI-generated work.
- Who
- Researchers from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, the University of Amsterdam, and Utrecht University studied 1,138 communication scholars.
- What
- The study examined how communication scholars use generative AI and their concerns about disclosure, privacy, accuracy, bias, and environmental impact.
- Where
- The scholars surveyed were based across 77 countries.
- When
- The study was published in Information, Communication & Society on 25 September.
- Why
- The researchers sought to understand AI’s role in academic research and inform more practical, transparent guidance for its responsible use.
AI Use and Flexible Guidance
Caution and Stronger Disclosure
Role of AI in research
AI Use and Flexible Guidance
AI can make research tools more accessible, reduce repetitive work, and help scholars with tasks ranging from writing to coding and brainstorming.
Caution and Stronger Disclosure
Researchers warn that AI outputs can be inaccurate, fail to follow instructions, and introduce cultural or linguistic biases.
Institutional approach
AI Use and Flexible Guidance
Participants preferred guidance and flexible best-practice frameworks that help researchers use AI effectively and ethically.
Caution and Stronger Disclosure
Some researchers believe clearer expectations are needed because universities, journals, and individual scholars currently have differing standards.
Disclosure of AI use
AI Use and Flexible Guidance
Transparency about what AI did, how much control the researcher retained, and whether outputs were checked could support responsible research.
Caution and Stronger Disclosure
Researchers may avoid disclosure because they fear that admitting AI use could damage how journals or other scholars view their work, creating “AI-shame.”
Key facts
- Study participants
- 1,138 communication scholars
- Countries represented
- 77 countries
- AI adoption
- 69.2% use generative AI for at least one research-related task
- Publication
- Information, Communication & Society
- Publication date
- 25 September
- Common uses
- Writing, proofreading, literature reviews, coding, data visualisation, brainstorming, and research-material development
- Researchers’ preferred approach
- Use AI as a tool while retaining human involvement and checking its outputs
Quotes
An unnamed study participant
Researcher who participated in the study’s focus groups
“Recent advances in generative AI have extended the scope of application and accessibility of these methods. Crucially, genAI systems operate through natural-language prompts, allowing users without technical expertise to generate complex outputs. This has democratised the use of AI systems, allowing a wider range of researchers to use them throughout all stages of the research process, such as for automated annotation, creating experiment stimuli, or writing,”
theprint.in
“Very worried about security”
theprint.in
