Dr. Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr. GAB)
By Ganiu Bamgbose (PhD)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become one of the most influential innovations of the twenty-first century. In a remarkably short time, AI-powered tools have transformed the way researchers search for literature, analyse data, organise references, improve writing and communicate findings. From postgraduate students to seasoned professors, researchers now have access to digital assistants capable of completing in seconds tasks that once required hours or even days. Yet, as with every powerful technology, AI presents a paradox. The same tool that can enhance scholarship can also undermine it when misapplied. The distinction between the use, misuse and abuse of AI is therefore essential if research is to retain its credibility and intellectual integrity.
The legitimate use of AI lies in its ability to support—not replace—the researcher. AI excels at automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks that do not necessarily require original human judgement. For instance, it can assist in locating relevant literature, summarising lengthy articles, generating keywords for database searches, suggesting alternative titles, correcting grammar, formatting references and improving the readability of manuscripts. It can also help researchers organise ideas, identify trends within large datasets and produce visualisations that make findings easier to interpret.
