Using Generative AI for Literature Searches and Scholarly Writing: Is the Integrity of the Scientific Discourse in Jeopardy?

Ever since the public release of ChatGPT in November 2022, serious concerns have been raised about the impact and potentially dire consequences of the increasingly widespread use of generative AI tools for purposes of scientific writing and publishing. We document the ongoing discussion in the science community with a review of news articles, editorials, and position statements by major scientific publishers; discuss the potential pitfalls of using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT as aids in scholarly writing; furnish evidence for the proposition that AI-induced contamination of the scientific literature is not only a threat, but already a reality; and call upon leaders in our field to develop policies and guidelines to stem the spread of such contamination. Closing on a positive note, we provide a brief overview of potentially useful capabilities and sensible applications of ChatGPT and similar AI tools for purposes of scholarly writing.