scholarly-communication
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- PaperAssessment & Evaluation in Higher Education23 Jun 2026
AI in the gatekeeper’s chair: elite researchers’ perceptions of AI-assisted feedback in journal peer review
Heng Li
Elite researchers (Nature/Science authors) perceive AI-assisted peer reviews as less fair, useful, and acceptable than human reviews, and show aversion to both the AI itself and researchers who delegate reviews to AI. This suggests AI integration may erode trust in peer review unless human oversight is preserved.
Original abstract
Peer review serves as the structural foundation of scientific integrity, yet the system currently faces unprecedented strain. In response, AI tools are being deployed to assist human expert review, a development that has generated considerable debate. However, the psychological impact of this transition on the scientific community remains only partially understood. Our study utilises a sequential mixed-methods approach to examine the perceptions of AI-mediated feedback among a cohort of elite researchers (Nature and Science authors). Quantitative findings from our randomised experimental survey (N = 495) demonstrated that AI-assisted reviews were viewed as deficient in fairness, usefulness, and acceptance compared to human-led evaluations. Qualitative evidence from 47 in-depth interviews further identified a dual-layered aversion to AI-assisted feedback, concerning both the technology (AI use) and the agent (AI user). Specifically, scholars perceived AI-generated critiques as devoid of the necessary disciplinary nuance required for high-stakes evaluation. Moreover, a notable ‘AI user aversion’ emerged: reviewers who delegated tasks to AI were perceived as lacking the diligence and empathic engagement essential to the peer-review contract. Together, these finding suggest that the integration of AI into peer review may erode trust in the research evaluation process and journals should implement robust governance that preserves human oversight.
- PaperJournal of Second Language Writing15 May 2026
Non-empirical scholarship in the Journal of Second Language Writing
Xueyi Yuan
This article examines the prevalence and characteristics of non-empirical scholarship published in the Journal of Second Language Writing, highlighting its role in advancing theoretical and pedagogical discussions in the field.