Exploring the potential and limitations of ChatGPT for academic peer-reviewed writing: Addressing linguistic injustice and ethical concerns

  • Andy Man Yeung Tai Univeristy of British Columbia
  • Maximilian Meyer University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Mathew Varidel
  • Ante Prodan School of Computer, Data and Mathematical Sciences, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
  • Marc Vogel University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Frank Iorfino Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • Reinhard Michael Krausz

Abstract

ChatGPT is a language model created by OpenAI, utilising neural networks and the transformer architecture for Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks. The model's popularity has been immense, gaining 100 million users in two months, and Microsoft announced a multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI. This commentary explores the potential and limitations of using ChatGPT for academic writing for publication. It can assist in editing tasks such as spell and grammar checking, summarisation and translation, but raises ethical questions about the use of AI-generated text in academic work. The potential of ChatGPT lies in its ability to address the issue of linguistic injustice faced by non-native English speakers in academic publishing. With its support, researchers can communicate their findings in English more effectively. Moreover, writers can leverage ChatGPT's personalized feedback to improve their writing style and gain new perspectives to enhance their content. However, it is essential to note that the accuracy of ChatGPT's insights is limited by the quality of the information fed into it, and it can generate incorrect text. Thus, it is not advisable to rely solely on ChatGPT for writing assistance.

Published
2023-07-24
How to Cite
TaiA. M. Y., MeyerM., VaridelM., ProdanA., VogelM., IorfinoF., & KrauszR. M. (2023). Exploring the potential and limitations of ChatGPT for academic peer-reviewed writing: Addressing linguistic injustice and ethical concerns. Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 17(1), T16-T30. Retrieved from https://journal.aall.org.au/index.php/jall/article/view/903
Issue
Vol. 17 No. 1 (2023)
Section
Responding to the opportunities and challenges of generative AI
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