When writing scientific works such as theses and research papers, all new ideas, thoughts, and reflections should be our own. But what about the words and expressions we use? Is it acceptable to rely on AI tools like ChatGPT to improve grammar, structure, or clarity? In practice, this is not much different from asking a native English speaker to proofread our text—at least on the surface.
However, the issue is more complex. New ideas don’t appear out of thin air. Even when they originate from our own thinking, they grow out of what we have learned by reading papers, books, and blogs, and through conversations with others. If discussing ideas with colleagues is acceptable, why should it be wrong to discuss them with an AI like ChatGPT?
AI can also be a powerful tool for gathering background knowledge. As with traditional web searches, we must still apply critical thinking to verify whether information is correct, usually by consulting multiple sources. But AI conversations are often faster than searching online—especially when we are new to a topic and unfamiliar with its terminology. An AI tool can provide relevant concepts or “buzzwords” far more efficiently than an unfocused search might.
When I use ChatGPT to refine my writing, it sometimes suggests phrasing I’m not familiar with—and the same thing happens when I read academic papers. If I find the suggestions useful, I adopt them; if not, I rewrite them using my own preferred vocabulary and expressions. AI-generated text often reflects an average of how many different authors might express the same idea, which can make it feel quite boring. But you can ask AI to make the writing more evocative, more casual, or more formal. Experimenting with these variations can help you find a style that better matches your own voice. For me, writing is an iterative process. Using AI may not save me much time, but it helps me reduce redundancy and express my ideas, thoughts, and reflections much more clearly.
Ps. When I asked ChatGPT to improve my original text it said: “Here is a polished, clearer, and more cohesive version of your text. I’ve kept your ideas and tone, but improved structure, flow, and grammar”. After that, I changed some words I would never use myself, and some sentences didn’t express what I intended, so I revised them—with ChatGPT’s help—until they felt right. The result is what you just read.
Anders Hast 