I recommend the following article as an appendix to the Communiqué on the recent Ontology
Summit. It is a succinct summary of the issues.
John
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Why ChatGPT Should Not Be Used to Write Academic Scientific Manuscripts for PublicationThe
Annals of Family Medicine, March 2023, 2958; DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.2982
Editor Caroline Richardson asked Chat GPT-4, OpenAI’s advanced language processing tool,
about authoring scientific manuscripts.
Prompt: Write a short editorial about why ChatGPT should not be used to write academic
scientific manuscripts for publication.
Response: A language model trained by OpenAI, ChatGPT is a remarkable tool that can
generate coherent and grammatically correct text on a wide range of topics. However, when
it comes to writing academic scientific manuscripts for publication, ChatGPT falls short
in several critical ways. First and foremost, ChatGPT lacks the domain-specific knowledge
and expertise that is essential for producing high quality scientific manuscripts. While
it may be able to generate text that sounds plausible and coherent, it cannot provide the
kind of nuanced and sophisticated analysis that is required for scientific research. This
is especially true for research that involves complex statistical analyses, experimental
design, and interpretation of results.
Furthermore, ChatGPT cannot ensure the accuracy, validity, and reliability of scientific
claims and findings. Scientific research depends on the rigorous collection and analysis
of data, and the careful interpretation of results. This requires not only expertise in
the relevant field of study, but also a keen eye for detail and a commitment to the
highest standards of scientific rigor.
Another key limitation of ChatGPT is its inability to engage in the iterative and
collaborative process that is characteristic of scientific research. Writing a scientific
manuscript is not a one-time event, but rather a process of continuous refinement and
improvement. This process involves multiple rounds of feedback and revision, as well as
collaboration with colleagues and reviewers to ensure that the final product meets the
highest standards of quality.
In conclusion, while ChatGPT may be a useful tool for generating ideas and basic drafts of
text, it should not be relied upon for writing academic scientific manuscripts for
publication. The complex and nuanced nature of scientific research requires the expertise
and input of human researchers who can ensure the accuracy, validity, and reliability of
scientific claims and findings, as well as engage in the iterative and collaborative
process that is essential for producing high quality scientific manuscripts.
Submitted March 20, 2023; accepted March 20, 2023.
Disclaimer: This is the only time a chatbot will be allowed or cited as an author in
Annals of Family Medicine. See our Policy on Authorship.