Can Use of AI Impact Ownership and Citations in Academic Work?

[This answer is not being written by AI].

The short answer to the first question (can use of AI risk intellectual property rights in a way that can affect future publication?) is “Yes.”

The short answer to the second question (can there be legal consequences for failing to disclose use of AI?) is “Yes.”

Unfortunately, after those initial easy answers, the range of risks runs the gamut from “life-shattering” to “none at all.”

To illustrate, let’s take this ridiculously compound hypothetical situation:

A grad student is working on a grant-funded project to study social media use by third graders. The primary investigator[1] has developed a tool to counteract the addictive effects of social media on children; part of the project is testing it.

Because the study involves human subjects and minors, it is governed by a protocol that includes strict safety and confidentiality requirements.

The funder of the research has insisted that the copyright to the research and the final work will be owned by the funder. The PI is hoping to patent the tool being tested.

The grad student is supervising three work-study undergrad students who are working with the test subjects (the third graders). The grad student is getting a stipend of $500 whole dollars for over 500 hours of work and is hoping to be named as a co-author. The undergrad students are paid by the hour.

One day, the grad student assigns the undergrads the task of completing summaries of all of the test subject results. To do this, the 3 undergrads (who are also trying to get through finals) tell a free AI resource: “Create a summary of this information that lists the goal of the study, the methods, the controls, and the results for each subject, removing any identifying information about the subject except age. Also provide a summary of the individual reports, noting when the method applied led to reduction in use of social media, and contrasting that result with control subjects.” They then put the raw data through the AI resource and get 20 hours of work done in less than 1. They don’t tell the grad student, disclose the use of the free AI, or retain any information about the AI product used.

In a “worst-case scenario world” some of the results of this could be:

• Information sufficient to deduce the identity of the test subjects (who are minors) is freely available, creating a risk to their safety and identities;
• The human subject safety and confidentiality requirements of the project are found to have been violated;
• Violation of the protocols limits the number of reputable peer-reviewed journals that will consider publishing the work and jeopardizes future funding for the PI and the institution;
• Years later, the PI’s patent is denied because the submission of the new method to the AI resource counted as publication;
• The copyright requirements of the funder are violated, as substantial portions of the research were provided to the AI without permission, so the funder demands a return of funds;
• The undergrad students are found responsible for academic integrity violations years after graduation and their degrees are revoked;
• As the supervisor, the grad student is also accused of an academic integrity violation but is found responsible only for inadequate supervision of the undergrads.

Of course, this is a worst-case scenario. It is important to remember that for every “worst case” there can be a “best case” where trustworthy AI[2] is used responsibly to enhance research, increase efficiency, and maintain appropriate confidentiality. Such use should be disclosed in the final product and assessed as part of the research methodology.

Responsible use of AI is all about details and planning.

To alert students and others to this potential impact, it is helpful to raise their awareness of how posting to social media[3] and using certain AI products can impact them.

Below this answer is a sample “raising awareness” posting for study areas.[4]

I imagine the academic librarians out there can come up with a snappier version, but this one outlines the above-discussed things to consider before posting research on social media or putting it through AI.

Thank you for some great questions on important topics!