Riding the Wave of ChatGPT Research: An Analysis of Early-Stage Scholarly Output and the Associated Authorship Anomalies

Abstract

Following the emergence of ChatGPT, academia has witnessed a remarkable emergence of research publications on the topic. Hundreds of papers have emerged in a short span of only eight months since the launch of this AI tool, exploring the associated issues and applications across diverse domains. This demonstrates striking parallels with the COVID-19 publication frenzy that emerged shortly after the disease outbreak. An investigation of 600 early publications demonstrates noteworthy trends as well as peculiar publication behaviours. The rush of non-AI specialists into the domain of ChatGPT research is particularly noteworthy. It is argued that while these trends reflect the agility and adaptability of modern academia, beneath the surface, anomalies can emerge that warrant careful examination. This trend raises the possibility of motivating researchers to capitalise on the hype around AI-driven research without fully comprehending the intricacies and limitations of the technology. This can be of particular concern considering that the majority of these publications are appearing in the medical domain. Unveiling the quirks of this publication frenzy demonstrates that it is crucial to call for a reflective approach that promotes responsible authorship and more substantive contributions in this emerging area of scholarly research.