#87 The AI Paradox

Hey friends,

When we count publications at pretty much any level (globallly, country, institutions etc…) we see that we publish each year more than previous years

More papers are being submitted to journals.
Writing became easier. A few prompts and you get some text that looks good.

What used to take weeks and months now takes only a few days

AI removed some language barriers to many of us. Especially when it comes to grammar, spelling and writing flow in English

But there is an issue with this.
Let me explain

You receive lots of manuscripts, all looking good, waiting to be reviewed

But the pool of reviewers hasn’t changed much.
They’re still busy, and their attention is quite limited

So how do you make sure your paper stands out in a huge pile of manuscripts?

First, we all agree that writing is easier with AI.
But we all know there is something predictable about it
Its structure, its grammar, its style, it’s flat and sometimes quite generic

In a previous training session with researchers, I mentioned that I personally like writing the way I speak.

That’s my way of standing out with my style and personality (and human imperfections)

Don’t get me wrong. AI is great for a quick start on structuring ideas or for less thinking-intensive tasks.

But it’s still a robot generating content following a common pattern

We want to be thoughtful, to choose the right words, and own our voice

That’s what usually catches attention.

Before submission, ask for feedback

Deep feedback. Not just grammar, spelling or format

But feedback from someone who understands what you’re doing, like your supervisor(s) or colleagues from your research group

It’s like a detailed review before the editor’s check and the reviewers' rounds
Ideally, someone who has experience with peer review and who can go through the following questions:

• Is the research gap clear?
• Does the method actually answer the question?
• Are the results interpreted correctly?
• Is anything missing or unclear?

We’re not talking about language, format etc. We’re talking science here.

This will make a difference

We’re talking about AI. Lots of useful tools, it’s easy now to write and generate content
But the interesting part is that humans still make the difference

Two things to keep in mind:
- scientific thinking with strong methods, clear research questions and solid analyses
- clear communication with precise and structured writing

If you’re working on a paper right now, here are two simple questions to ask:

Does my writing sound like a robot or everyone else’s?
If yes, pause. Refine. Make your ideas clearer

Has a true expert or your supervisor challenged this work?
If not, find one before submission

Well, that’s for all for now

See you next Sunday
Jamal