2024Insights:
Researcherattitudes toward AI
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools are evolving
and being adopted at an unprecedented rate, offering
the potential to transform how we work, consume
information, innovate. In this rapidly changing landscape,it is important to understand the views of researchers toensure AI technologies positively impact research andscientific advancement.

AI will transform the research sector
74%

The Insights: Researcher attitudes toward AI report aims
to understand their perspectives through a global study ofover 2,000 people worldwide working in research.

Believe AI (including GenAI) will havea transformative or significant impact
on their area of work.

Awareness of AI is high but the proportion
who have used it a lot is low
Familiarity with AI​*

“Given the increasing demand forliterature... AI will be the driver,whether we all like it or not.”Usage of AI

Researcher (India)

very familiar(used it a lot)Now

not familiar

14%

3%

37%
have used AI for work97%

aware of AI

59%

41%

28%

38%

ChinaIndiaUSA

41%
83%
somewhat/a little familiar

22%
have notused AI

have used AI for non-work

FutureOver half of those aware haveused AI, and this will likely
increase further, with two thirdsof those who have not yet used
AI expecting to do so within thenext two to five years.

don’t expect to 32%
or not sure

All other charts/statistics exclude the (3%) not familiar and who have never heard of AI.

*

expect to use it within
two to five years

68%

78%

71%

55%

China

IndiaUSA

Insights: Attitudes toward AI, Researcher

AI is expected to bring many benefits

Multiple negative impacts are also expected

Researchers recognise AI’s potential. Almost allrespondents expect AI to have to some positive
impact in key areas. They believe it will help...

While they identify numerous benefits, these arebalanced by concerns about potential drawbacks,
including misinformation, and causing errors.
They believe it has the potential to....

94%

95%

Accelerate knowledge discovery.

Be used for misinformation.

92%

86%

Rapidly increase the volume of scholarly and medical research.

92%

Cause critical errors or mishaps.

81%

Provide cost savings to institutions and businesses.

Erode critical thinking skills.

80%

86%Increase work quality overall.

Cause disruption to society.

Likelihood to use a reliable
and secure AI assistant is high
89% of researchers who believe AI canbring benefit when using scientific content
are likely to use such an assistant togenerate a synthesis of research articles
in a specific area.

“All emerging technologies, includingAI, have both advantages anddisadvantages. It is essential to further
develop and regulate these technologies,
aiming to extract maximum benefits.”
Researcher (Canada)

92% of researchers who believe AI canbring benefit when completing research
related activities are likely to use such anassistant to review prior studies, identify
gaps in knowledge and generate a newresearch hypothesis for testing.

100%

93%

84%

India

China

USA

“Technology, as always, should be usedand developed responsibly and ethically.”
Researcher (Thailand)

Transparency and quality resources are key
Researchers expect tools to be based on high quality,
trusted content and want transparency about the useof generative AI.
81%
Of researchers expect to be told whether the tools they
are using depend on generative AI.

68%
Expect generative AI dependent tools’ results be based on highquality trusted sources only.

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View the Researcher Key Findings
Insights: Researcher attitudes toward AI,
Key Findings