Role of Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Research: Classification Framework and Empirical Insights

Artificial intelligence (AI) represents the culmination of multidisciplinary scientific knowledge and, through its diverse technological capabilities, has significantly contributed to research across various fields. This study explores the bidirectional relationship between AI and scientific research, with a focus on the frequency and context in which AI is mentioned in research articles. A classification framework is developed to categorize the different ways AI is mentioned in articles. Empirical analysis is conducted in the fields of oncology, nanoscience and nanotechnology, as well as meteorology and atmospheric sciences. The findings indicate that while the mention of AI in research articles has become widespread, the distribution of different ways of mentions is relatively concentrated. We not only identify the conceptual differences in the focus of AI mentions, but also uncover the disparities in the intensity and ways of AI mentions across research articles from various countries. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between AI and scientific research, advocating for the synergetic development of AI and scientific progress by leveraging the strengths of different nations.