Chat GPT is First Author in a Research Paper-Future Challenge to the Research

Chat GPT (Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer) has become increasingly popular in various fields nowadays, including programming, data analysis, providing structured information about digital products, blogging, and creating scripts for videos and books. People are trying to utilize it in every possible application where it can help solve their problems.

I had already talked about research in different terms before, but I couldn’t resist writing this post when I recently observed that a research journal had listed Chat GPT as the first author. It’s amazing how a machine can take on the role of an author and even have its work published in an academic journal.

Chat GPT: First Author in Research Article

This paper is part of the “Research Perspective” section and was published on December 21, 2022, around the time when ChatGPT was first introduced and people were beginning to experiment with it through OpenAI. The author considered the genuine and authentic output generated by ChatGPT in response to their query about the applications of Rapamycin on this version-3. Based on this study, the author highlights the potential of ChatGPT in the abstract.

Chat GPT Authorship: Refused in Research Papers

It might come as a surprise, but ChatGPT itself refuses to accept authorship or involvement in any research paper. Therefore, it’s not acceptable for a human being to mention or consider a machine tool like ChatGPT as a first author. This issue raises concerns regarding conflicts of authorship. At present, ChatGPT’s contribution as a co-author or first author cannot be analyzed since it doesn’t have the ability to play such a role. As mentioned earlier, if any author takes help from ChatGPT to complete the research, they can acknowledge the source.

When I asked ChatGPT directly without any engineering prompts whether it could play a role as an author in a research paper, its response was negative. This clears the air about the research integrity of ChatGPT and resolves the matter of its involvement in authorship in any way.

After my direct inquiry with Chat GPT, it was made clear to me that it couldn’t be possible for Chat GPT to be listed as an author in a research paper. However, I have also observed another case where neither the source/tool was acknowledged nor considered as a co-author. Instead, the research article was published as a sole authorship, while the outcomes generated by Chat GPT were used as they were.

Chat GPT Generated Text: Full Research Paper

Not only is this article the first in this queue, but people are also blindly using ChatGPT without considering its impact. They are not concerned about the readers and the people in the knowledge society who rely on research journals as a reliable source of knowledge.

Recently, a professor from a top institute in Delhi published the ChatGPT output in a research journal. I am wondering about the state of mind of these so-called researchers. How could a senior professor do such a thing? What was the requirement for doing so, and how will that information contribute?

People on social media are voicing their concerns about research integrity, but some researchers don’t seem to understand its importance due to personal reasons. Some are using research to increase the number of publications, assuming that having more research articles will make them more reputable researchers and their institutions more prestigious.

When I typed the title of the research article into ChatGpt to obtain the output, I was shocked to see that the output was the same as what was published in the research paper. How is this possible? Was it the tool’s fault or did someone simply copy the text from the source and not acknowledge it? It was shocking to me that the research paper was published as it was.

I understand the importance of research and publication ethics and the need to sensitize the scholarly community about it. I know that people who are at a lower scale and doing research may be reading lower category journals and trying to extract information from them. However, in such cases, it leaves questions in one’s mind about the authenticity and reliability of the information.

https://apniphysics.com/research/retracted-articles/

Conclusion Chat GPT Authorship

In conclusion, it is important to understand why we are doing research or sharing information with the knowledge society. If the sole purpose is just to increase the number of publications, then knowingly or unknowingly, mistakes may be made. One can use Chat GPT to get information, but it should be reliable, authentic, and useful for the intended purpose. Unfortunately, in the cases mentioned above, researchers, especially senior ones, have used it in a negative way. Technology is meant to simplify problems, not create them. Therefore, it should be used in a true sense and effectively.

In the end, it is important to understand that a machine tool cannot be an author of a research paper. This is not limited to research papers but also textbooks or book chapters. One should avoid the copy-paste culture and write whatever they want to write in their own language and style.

Researchers and academicians should be aware of the facts and outcomes of such practices and their impact on the new generation and ultimately on the reputation of the country. Many people are working day and night to bring the truth in the form of science. It is important to appreciate their efforts and not diminish them by such practices or following bad shortcuts.

SHARE IT TO SENSITIZE THE KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

What is your opinion on this issue? share your point.

NOTE: at the end I will say, it is not to defame any individual or Institution in any way, there are still people who are not following or not aware about to the research and publication ethics, follow the good practices.