Wiley: ExplanAItions: An AI study
Brief Summary
Released from Wiley in February of 2025, ExplanAItions is a major study, exploring artificial intelligence (AI) use and applications across the research process...the study extensively explores how AI is currently used, where it is positioned to make a significant impact, variations in adoption and interest, and the role publishers can play in supporting researchers’ responsible and evolving use of AI.
From the report's Foreword:
ExplanAItions is a different kind of study—one that goes beyond sentiment around AI to look deeply at how researchers use and apply it. It explores where interest and technological capabilities align and identifies opportunities for further exploration. Based on feedback from almost 5,000 researchers, this comprehensive study provides real data both on current and potential use cases for AI by authors. It quantifies key statistics around each use case, assessing interest and usage and evaluating where AI might outperform humans. And it uncovers what researchers want from publishers in terms of guidelines, training, and policies.
From the Executive Summary:
AI use is currently limited among researchers, who say lack of guidance is a major barrier to its greater adoption.
- Among researchers, current use of AI is fairly limited, both in terms of tools used and tasks done. When asked which generative AI tools they’d heard of prior to the survey, most had heard of and used or tried Open AI’s ChatGPT, but few were familiar with other tools.
- Despite limited current use, researchers know that developing AI skills will be highly important to them personally in the near future. 69% think it will be at least somewhat important in the next two years, and within five years over half of researchers think
AI skill building will be very important. - Uncertainty is a major barrier to researchers making the most of AI’s potential.
When asked what barriers or obstacles were preventing them from using generative AI in their work to the extent that they’d like, 63% selected a lack of clear guidelines and consensus on what uses of AI are accepted in their field and/or the need for more training and skills.
The 38-page report goes on to address findings in the following areas:
- Exploring AI use cases to get to actionable insights
- Mapping the consensus view of AI use cases
- Recommendations to the researcher community
- The role of scholarly publishers in navigating an AI-augmented future
Links to Additional Coverage
Publishing Perspectives, February 6, 2025