Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Researchers
Defining a responsible and sustainable future for AI tools and the research community
Anyone with a stake in research—researchers, learned societies, and publishers, to name a few—should be considering an AI-enabled future and their role in it.
At OUP, we are committed to helping academic researchers harness AI to improve research outcomes. We are also championing our authors and the broader research community by working closely with AI technology providers to define clear principles for future collaboration, including:
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A respect for intellectual property
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Understanding the importance of technology to support pedagogy and research
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Appropriate compensation and routes to attribution for authors
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Robust escalation routes with developers to address emerging issues.
Are academic researchers embracing or resisting generative AI? And how should publishers respond?
The most interesting thing about any technology is how it affects humans. Most people would agree that the internet has benefitted research and researchers’ working lives. But can we be so sure about AI?
Publishers like OUP are uniquely positioned to advocate for the protection of researchers and their research within AI tools such as Large Language Models. We believe we can make a difference as these tools evolve.
Read more
Virtual roundtable: AI as a transformative force for academic research
How can we harness the benefits of AI while protecting against the risks? In this virtual roundtable, OUP and guest speakers discuss:
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Insights into how AI is currently being employed and regarded within the academic community
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Themes including trust, generational divides, and safe-guarding research quality
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How to address researcher concerns around the impact of AI on areas such as critical thinking, IP protection, and plagiarism
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How OUP can contribute to developing new guidelines and ways of working that benefit the research process in the AI age
Guidelines for authors
The emergence of AI has created both opportunities and challenges for authors, researchers, and publishers. Any use of AI must be consistent with the Press’s mission and the values inherent in our publishing, with all that this entails in terms of quality, integrity, and trust.
We have formulated guidelines on appropriate and responsible uses of AI by book authors in our research publishing.
For information about uses of AI in journal articles, please refer to the specific journal Instructions for Authors page.
Survey: AI and the Changing Face of Research
Researchers and AI: survey findings
We conducted a survey to find out how academic researchers are engaging with AI. We have had over 2,300 responses from people across different subject areas, geographies, and career stages.
We wanted to understand researchers’ views on AI tools: what excites or concerns them, how they are using or imagining using AI tools, and the role they believe publishers and institutions can play in supporting and protecting their published research.
Read the full findings
Top 10 findings
Most academic researchers and research authors say they are using AI tools in their research practice, despite concerns over the loss of critical thinking skills, respect for intellectual property (IP) rights, and mistrust in AI providers.
From generational differences to confusion around guidance, read our summary of the key findings.
Read the key findings
AI attitudes and behaviour: researcher profiles [interactive]
Researchers’ attitudes to AI vary significantly across career stage, subject area, and country. While 76% of researchers say they have used some form of AI tool in their research, our survey uncovered unexpected generational differences and polarised opinions on the impact of AI.
A statistical cluster analysis identified eight groups illustrating the spectrum of attitudes, from ‘Challengers’ (those fundamentally against AI), through to ‘Pioneers’ (those fully embracing AI). Explore the different profiles, and find the one that best matches your attitude and behaviour.
Explore the profiles
Research on AI
From the OUPblog
How can leaders add value with intuition in the age of AI?
By Eugene Sadler-Smith
Digital dilemmas: feminism, ethics, and the cultural implications of AI
By Kerry McInerney, Eleanor Drage, and Kanta Dihal
Aleph-AI: an organizing force or creative destruction in the artificial era?
By Gissel Velarde
About OUP
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Publishing guidance: a reading list
Explore our collection of resources on conducting research. Our expert authors address research preparation, fostering collaboration, and upholding ethical standards.
Browse the collection
