A recent study by Northwestern University has highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in scientific research, revealing potential disparities among different demographic groups. The study, led by Dashun Wang and Jian Gao from the Kellogg School of Management, analyzed a vast dataset comprising 74.6 million publications, 7.1 million patents, and 4.2 million university course syllabi.

The research found that AI has significantly increased its presence across various scientific disciplines since 2015. Fields such as computer science, engineering, physics, biology, psychology, economics, sociology, and political science have all shown notable increases in direct AI use scores due to new AI capabilities.

Papers utilizing AI are reported to exhibit a "citation impact premium," indicating higher citation rates compared to non-AI papers. However, this benefit does not extend equitably to women and minority researchers. The study warns that as AI becomes more integral to scientific advancement, it may exacerbate existing disparities within the research community.

“These advances raise the possibility that, as AI continues to improve in accuracy, robustness and reach, it may bring even more meaningful benefits to science," said Jian Gao.

Despite the widespread use of AI in research disciplines, there is a noted gap between AI use and AI training in education. “The investment in AI in higher education is not at the same pace of the AI benefit in science,” Gao explained.

The study emphasizes the importance of equitable training opportunities to close this gap and suggests that collaboration between domain experts and AI researchers could facilitate better integration of AI into various fields.

“Women and minorities are benefiting the least," Gao stated regarding demographic disparities in accessing benefits from AI advancements.

The research was supported by several organizations including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation.