‘ChatGPT et al.’: The ethics of using (generative) artificial intelligence in research and science
Description of Resource
As journal editors, the emergence of ChatGPT prompted us – and others (e.g. Hill-Yardin et al., 2023; Liebrenz et al., 2023; Lund and Wang, 2023; Teubner et al., 2023; Van Dis et al., 2023) – to ask foundational questions about using generative AI in research and science. Specifically: Is it ‘ethical’ to use generative or other AIs in conducting research or for writing academic research papers? In this editorial, we go back to first principles to reflect on the fundamental ethics to apply to using ChatGPT and AI in research and science. Next, we caution that (generative) AI is also at the ‘peak of inflated (hype) expectations’ and discuss eight in-principle issues that AI struggles with, both ethically and practically. We conclude with what this all means for the ethics of using generative AI in research and science.