Stop Using AI to Write Research Papers (A Professor’s Warning)

Can you use AI like ChatGPT to write an entire research paper? Technically yes—but that doesn’t mean you should. In this video, Dr. Padilla (Professor of Computer Science & Psychology) explains why relying on generative AI to write research papers is a serious mistake for students, graduate researchers, and academics. As someone who reviews grant proposals, journal papers, and academic applications, I’m seeing a growing trend of submissions that appear to be written by AI. While AI tools can be helpful when used responsibly, using them to generate entire papers raises serious scientific, ethical, and career risks. In this video, we discuss: Why AI hallucinations can produce fake citations and incorrect research claims How AI-generated writing can damage your academic reputation Why relying on AI prevents you from developing real research skills How future detection tools could expose AI-generated papers years later The environmental impact of large-scale AI use The ethical way to use AI as a research tool Most importantly, I explain why your unique human insight is still the most valuable thing in research—and how to stay competitive in a world where AI is becoming more powerful. If you’re a student, PhD applicant, graduate researcher, or professor, this is something you should seriously think about before using AI in your academic work. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction: The rise of AI-generated research papers 00:40 – Why I’m seeing AI-written work everywhere 01:39 – The biggest problem: Low-quality research 03:09 – Academic reputation 04:21 – The skills you lose when AI does the work 05:25 – Human insight still matters in research 06:11 – Environmental costs of large language models 🔔 Subscribe for more videos about: • PhD applications • Academic careers • Research skills • Academia trends • AI and higher education Academia is challenging, but you don’t have to navigate it alone.