An Investigation of Artificial Intelligence Tools in Editorial Tasks among Arab Researchers Publishing in English

The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) has impacted scholarly publishing. This study explores the use of AI tools by Arab researchers who publish in English. A survey was conducted to gather information on AI tool adoption in research conception, writing, editing, and publishing. It collected responses from 84 participants, who provided insights into their usage patterns, challenges encountered, and ethical considerations when using AI. The findings reveal diverse adoption rates of AI tools, with high usage for language correctness and content enhancement such as grammar and spelling checking. The ethical implications of AI tool usage, including the need to ensure data quality, prevent plagiarism, and maintain ethical standards, were emphasized by respondents. Tools such as Grammarly, Endnote, and QuillBot were recognized for their utility in addressing common challenges. However, certain research-related tasks, notably research design, exhibited lower AI tool integration. The study underscores the gap between awareness and adoption of AI tools, indicating potential barriers to their utilization. Challenges such as cost, integration issues, and concerns about the accuracy and appropriateness of AI-generated content were identified. These findings offer insights for researchers, institutions, and publishers to enhance editorial processes, promote ethical AI tool usage, and bridge the gap between awareness and adoption.