In the upcoming years, artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to revolutionize the process of writing scientific papers, assist in their review, and aid editors in choosing the most significant studies.
AI has rapidly emerged in various sectors, including society and healthcare. Its function in the medical field is still developing, yet it is certain to play a role in analyzing images (like radiographs and pathology reports), producing discharge summaries, conducting consults, and diagnosing conditions. Additionally, AI might contribute to achieving precision medicine, and its influence on scientific publishing will grow, particularly in the areas of manuscript drafting and peer review.
As stated by Howard Bauchner, MD, the former editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association, AI will significantly change how scientific manuscripts are composed and assessed in the coming years. He notes, “This could potentially help editors enhance the impact of their journals,” as he is also a professor of pediatrics at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.
In a guest editorial for the European Journal of Emergency Medicine, Bauchner explores the potential applications of AI for editors. He mentions, “As finding enough peer reviewers becomes progressively challenging, editors might utilize AI to generate an initial ‘score.’ If an article receives what is deemed a good score, it could then undergo external peer review with just a brief review by the editors. Conversely, for articles that score poorly, editors could still consider them for publication after a thorough review or potentially request revisions from the authors based on the report,” he elaborates.
Bauchner raises a point about the use of AI in predicting citations, which affects a journal’s impact factor, questioning if editors should leverage this data. He advises that editors first determine a clear vision and mission for their journal, ensuring that individual articles align with this scope. Secondly, they should think carefully about the value that supplementary pieces bring to the journal. Thirdly, maximizing the journal’s outreach, especially through social media, is essential. Journals function as communication networks. Lastly, editors need to grasp the concepts of open science, which includes open peer review, data sharing, and open access. After considering these factors, it would be reasonable for editors to use AI to estimate an article’s citation potential—assuming that the underlying research is sound and not merely sensationalized.
Bauchner emphasizes that AI will not replace editors or peer reviewers but will enhance the evaluation of a manuscript’s quality, making the process of triaging faster and more objective. “AI is set to increasingly influence scientific publishing—especially in the realms of peer review and manuscript composition. Given the significant challenges in both areas, researchers, reviewers, editors, and funding bodies should embrace the support that AI can offer,” he concludes.
