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Generative AI and science communication in the physical sciences

Nature Reviews Physics volume 6, pages 162–165 (2024)Cite this article

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Advances in generative AI could democratize science communication, by providing scientists with easy-to-use tools to help them communicate their work to different audiences. However, these tools are imperfect, and their output must be checked by experts. They can also be used maliciously to produce misinformation and disinformation. Seven researchers and science communicators weigh up the potential benefits of generative AI for science communication against its risks.

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Acknowledgements

K.D. thanks her students on the MSc in Science Communication for their insightful comments in their essay assignments on the limitations of large language models. M.S.S. thanks M. Bischofberger and S.H. Kessler for valuable input.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science Writer, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Sibusiso Biyela

  2. Imperial College London, London, UK

    Kanta Dihal

  3. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Katy Ilonka Gero

  4. Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Daphne Ippolito

  5. Observatory on Social Media, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

    Filippo Menczer

  6. University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Mike S. Schäfer

  7. Center for Data-Driven Discovery (CD3), Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU), University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Hiromi M. Yokoyama

Authors
  1. Sibusiso Biyela
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  2. Kanta Dihal
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  3. Katy Ilonka Gero
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  4. Daphne Ippolito
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  5. Filippo Menczer
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  6. Mike S. Schäfer
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  7. Hiromi M. Yokoyama
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Sibusiso Biyela, Kanta Dihal, Katy Ilonka Gero, Daphne Ippolito, Filippo Menczer, Mike S. Schäfer or Hiromi M. Yokoyama.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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The contributors

Sibusiso Biyela is a science communicator and journalist who uses digital tools to translate complex research topics to different audiences in South Africa. He has been advocating for the decolonization of science and working on translating science in the indigenous languages in South Africa.

Kanta Dihal is a Lecturer in Science Communication at Imperial College London. Her research intersects science communication, literature and science, and science fiction. She focuses on stories about science and technology across cultures, and how they help us think about ethics and bias in new technologies.

Katy Ilonka Gero is a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard University specializing in the study of human–AI interaction, with a focus on technology for impactful writing and understanding the limits and capabilities of large language models.

Daphne Ippolito is an Assistant Professor at Carnegie Mellon University investigating the limitations and vulnerabilities of language model systems. She also explores ways in which human writers can use generative text models as creative tools.

Filippo Menczer is the Luddy Distinguished Professor of Informatics and Computer Science at Indiana University and Director of the Observatory on Social Media. He works on analysing and modelling the spread of information and misinformation in social networks and detecting and countering the manipulation of social media.

Mike S. Schäfer is a Professor of Science Communication at University of Zurich and Director of the Center for Higher Education and Science Studies (CHESS). His work looks at how science is communicated to the public and he investigates public perceptions of science and technology, communication and AI.

Hiromi Yokoyama is a Professor and Deputy Director of Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe. With a research background in experimental particle physics, she is investigating a broad range of topics regarding science and society, which include science communication and the ethics of AI.

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Biyela, S., Dihal, K., Gero, K.I. et al. Generative AI and science communication in the physical sciences. Nat Rev Phys 6, 162–165 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-024-00691-7

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