Acceptability of AI Tools in the Conduct of Research

The rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has influenced academic research practices, transforming the ways in which research activities were conducted. The present study examined research scholars’ perceptions of AI tools to understand their effective and ethical integration into academic research. A mixed-method research design was employed, and data were collected from research scholars across different universities in West Bengal using a self-constructed questionnaire administered online. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative responses provided deeper insights into perceived benefits and concerns related to AI use. The findings indicated that research scholars demonstrated a generally positive perception toward the acceptance and application of AI tools in research, acknowledging their potential to enhance research quality, efficiency, and productivity. However, concerns related to ethics, plagiarism, over-reliance on technology, accuracy of AI-generated content, and data privacy was also reported. The study concluded that although research scholars exhibited favorable attitudes toward AI tools, institutional support, structured training, and clear ethical guidelines were essential to ensure the responsible and effective integration of AI in academic research.