Students, Check Your Facts: Do Not Rely Solely On AI

Students, check your facts—don’t rely solely on AI.

In my line of work, research forms the backbone of all my projects, with a particular focus on AI which is constantly evolving.

To stay up-to-date with the latest trends, I follow the work of leading AI experts, university professors, and influencers across social media platforms like LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, as well as listening to podcasts regularly.

Recently, ChatGPT launched the prototype SearchGPT, a feature designed to improve citation accuracy.

With SearchGPT, users can click a globe icon, type the query, and receive answers with citations pulled directly from the web, including sources like Google Scholar. For convenience, a Chrome extension enables quick searches right from the browser, making it an invaluable tool for everyday research.

When I combine SearchGPT with Scholarcy, I can categorise my findings effectively,  filter out distractions, and focus on what is relevant to my article.

While these AI tools are powerful, they do not replace the essentials of good writing: authenticity, creativity and passion for the subject matter. Remember, you need to check your facts, scrutinise statistics, and present your findings thoughtfully. Developing these communication skills is essential not only for your academic success but also for advancing your career.

Do Not Copy and Paste

You can’t simply copy and paste information from AI and expect it to be flawless. It is only natural to want to make studying easier. Trust me, we have all sat at a desk, wondering how to get the work done quickly.

The emergence of AI tools like ChatGPT, Scholarcy, and Google Scholar offers significant advantages for academics, yet relying on AI-generated answers without proper verification can have negative consequences. For example, I spelt ChatGPT wrong due to my dyslexia. I tend to spell words as I hear them, therefore, my editor had to correct me countless times. Now, I laugh at how little I knew about AI before I began working with Scholarcy. You have to learn from your mistakes.

A 2024 survey by the Digital Education Council, which included over 3,800 students from 16 countries, found that 55% of students believe excessive use of AI in teaching devalues education and 52% feel it negatively impacts their academic performance. Overrelying on AI can undermine essential cognitive skills, such as critical thinking and problem-solving, which are crucial for exams and coursework. This issue is further compounded by "automation bias," where students may trust AI outputs over human judgment, even when inaccuracies are present.

Separate Fact From Fiction

Unverified AI content brings serious risks, from spreading misinformation to compromising academic integrity. AI can fabricate sources or provide inaccurate summaries, which results in students using flawed information in their work.

As Yale anthropologist Lisa Messeri and co-author M. J. Crockett discuss in their study, Artificial Intelligence and Illusions of Understanding in Scientific Research, unchecked AI can create “scientific monocultures.” Certain ideas, methods, or perspectives become dominant, while alternative approaches are sidelined or ignored. This lack of diversity in thinking stifles innovation and makes it easier for errors to go unnoticed.

Relying on AI-generated answers risks more than just accuracy; it can also weaken essential skills including analytical reasoning. Messeri and Crockett describe how AI fosters “illusions of understanding,” where students may feel they know more than they do simply because the generated answers appear reliable. This illusion can prevent us from questioning and thoroughl analyzing information, ultimately narrowing our perspective and limiting our ability to think independently.

Practice What Your Preach

Various AI tools handle information differently; while some generate content on the fly, others focus on summarizing existing knowledge, rather than potentially producing fiction.

Scholarcy, for instance, takes the original text, breaks it down and makes it easier for the reader to understand. . It provides direct links to  verified sources, making it a reliable tool for navigating complex research without the risk of fabricated data.

In my line of work, Scholarcy is invaluable, it means I can trust that each summary is grounded in genuine, published material. When used alongside tools like SearchGPT, which connects directly to sources like Google Scholar, I can organize and cross-reference information, reducing the risk of including unreliable material in my work.

Remember, tools like Scholarcy can streamline your research, but they are only as effective as the judgment you bring to interpret the information they provide.

AI lacks human judgment and may miss context, so I use it as a supplement, not a replacement, pairing it with traditional research methods.

Scholarcy makes complex reading material more accessible, but corroborating these summaries with primary sources strengthens credibility.

Keeping up to speed with  AI advancements in tools such as Claude and Gemini, is essential for responsible use. By understanding the strengths and limitations of these tools, students can use AI to enhance—rather than replace—critical thinking in their research.

My best advice: check, double-check, and triple-check your sources.

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