{"id":1531,"date":"2026-09-23T10:47:38","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T08:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/?p=1531"},"modified":"2026-09-23T10:47:56","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T08:47:56","slug":"research-in-a-rapidly-changing-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/2026\/09\/research-in-a-rapidly-changing-landscape\/","title":{"rendered":"Research in a rapidly changing landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"

In English further down.<\/p>\n

Ett forskningslandskap i snabb f\u00f6r\u00e4ndring<\/h2>\n

Vi n\u00e5s n\u00e4stan dagligen av nyheter som understryker att forskning \u00e4r ett fenomen som just nu befinner sig i en hastig och i vissa avseenden disruptiv f\u00f6r\u00e4ndring. Vi kan se hur vissa m\u00e5ngmiljard\u00e4rer skapar nya strukturer f\u00f6r forskning och det \u00e4r givetvis sv\u00e5rt att bortse fr\u00e5n den politisering av forskning som \u00e4ger rum i vissa delar av v\u00e4rlden. \u00c4ven om fri forskning kanske \u00e4r en chim\u00e4r s\u00e5 kan vi konstatera att en del f\u00f6r\u00e4ndringar \u00e4r lite orov\u00e4ckande f\u00f6r att forskningen ska kunna forts\u00e4tta vara en \u00e4ndam\u00e5lsenlig arena f\u00f6r kritiskt och fritt sanningss\u00f6kande.<\/p>\n

Fr\u00e5getecknen hopar sig ocks\u00e5 vad g\u00e4ller den effekt AI kommer att ha p\u00e5 forskningen, och d\u00e5 i synnerhet p\u00e5 det vetenskapliga publikationssystemet. Jag noterade nyligen att n\u00e5gra journaler i mitt eget forskningsf\u00e4lt nu har inf\u00f6rt avgifter n\u00e4r man skickar in manuskript och str\u00f6mmen av f\u00f6rfr\u00e5gningar r\u00f6rande artikelgranskning har g\u00e5tt fr\u00e5n att vara orov\u00e4ckande strid till att bli deprimerande d\u00e5 man knappt ens hinner svara p\u00e5 f\u00f6rfr\u00e5gningarna, \u00e4n mindre granska s\u00e5 m\u00e5nga artiklar. P\u00e5 min hemmakonferens var det ocks\u00e5 tydligt att journalen som drivs av det n\u00e4rmaste forskarn\u00e4tverket upplever en exponentiell \u00f6kning av antalet inskickade manuskript och att en mycket stor andel av dessa b\u00e4r sp\u00e5r av v\u00e4l tilltagen AI-anv\u00e4ndning. Tyv\u00e4rr \u00e4r kvaliteten i m\u00e5nga fall ocks\u00e5 bristf\u00e4llig och arbetet med att sk\u00f6ta journalen och dess artiklar har i \u00e4nnu h\u00f6gre grad \u00e4n tidigare kommit att fokusera p\u00e5 att rensa ut ogr\u00e4s snarare \u00e4n att odla och kultivera de intellektuella plantor som ska blomma ut i publicerade artiklar.<\/p>\n

Exakt vart AI-utvecklingen \u00e4r p\u00e5 v\u00e4g \u00e4r givetvis helt om\u00f6jligt att s\u00e4ga, men det \u00e4r enkelt att konstatera att vi under v\u00e4ldigt l\u00e5ng tid inte upplevt n\u00e5got s\u00e5 omst\u00f6rtande f\u00f6r v\u00e5r verksamhet, och f\u00f6r\u00e4ndringen g\u00e5r oerh\u00f6rt snabbt. Det \u00e4r i detta sammanhang viktigt att understryka att det med all sannolikhet inte g\u00e5r att ta steg tillbaka eller ens bromsa hastigheten p\u00e5 utvecklingen. Anden \u00e4r ute ur flaskan och vi m\u00e5ste omfamna den f\u00f6r\u00e4ndring som sker. En konsekvens \u00e4r att vi alla beh\u00f6ver l\u00e4ra oss att anv\u00e4nda AI p\u00e5 ett fruktbart och etiskt korrekt s\u00e4tt, samtidigt som vi m\u00e5ste st\u00e4vja missbruk och oegentligheter. En del av detta \u00e4r att gemensamt diskutera hur AI b\u00f6r anv\u00e4ndas i de olika stegen i v\u00e5r forskning och p\u00e5 vilket s\u00e4tt AI-anv\u00e4ndning ska integreras i v\u00e5r forskarutbildning. Efter m\u00e5nga diskussioner i skolans forskarutbildningsutskott och vid handledarseminarier st\u00e5r det exempelvis klart att det finns en betydande gr\u00e5zon d\u00e4r vi \u00e4nnu inte \u00e4r \u00f6verens om vad som utg\u00f6r l\u00e4mplig AI-anv\u00e4ndning inom ramen f\u00f6r avhandlingsarbete. N\u00e5gra saker finns det dock konsensus om och dessa har vi nu f\u00f6rs\u00f6kt sl\u00e5 fast i en upps\u00e4ttning riktlinjer f\u00f6r AI-anv\u00e4ndning i forskarutbildningen p\u00e5 ITM<\/a>. L\u00e4s dem g\u00e4rna och kom ocks\u00e5 med synpunkter.<\/p>\n

P\u00e5 l\u00e4ngre sikt kommer vi m\u00f6jligen att se omv\u00e4lvande effekter av AI p\u00e5 hela det vetenskapliga publikationssystemet. Kanske \u00e4r AI rentav den faktor som ger d\u00f6dsst\u00f6ten \u00e5t ett system som m\u00e5nga av oss upplevt som orimligt och som tillsammans med v\u00e5ra system f\u00f6r att m\u00e4ta prestationer inom forskning ibland l\u00e4tt till tveksamma prioriteringar. Ibland beh\u00f6ver vissa saker brinna ned till grunden f\u00f6r att n\u00e5got b\u00e4ttre ska kunna resa sig upp ur askan. Det kan vara s\u00e5 att vi i akademin just nu st\u00e5r inf\u00f6r ett s\u00e5dant \u00f6gonblick. Oavsett vilket \u00e4r det en s\u00e4llsynt sp\u00e4nnande tid att vara forskare.<\/p>\n

\/Mats Magnusson, vice skolchef och forskarutbildningsansvarig p\u00e5 ITM<\/p>\n

Research in a Rapidly Changing Landscape<\/h2>\n

Almost every day, we are confronted with news that highlights how research is currently undergoing rapid and, in some respects, disruptive change. We see how certain billionaires are creating new structures for research, and it is, of course, difficult to ignore the politicisation of research taking place in some parts of the world. Even if truly independent research may be an ideal rather than a reality, some of these developments are nevertheless concerning if research is to continue serving as a meaningful arena for critical and independent inquiry.<\/p>\n

There are also growing questions about the impact that AI will have on research, particularly on the scientific publishing system. I recently noted that several journals within my own research field have introduced manuscript submission fees. At the same time, the flow of requests to review articles has gone from being worryingly frequent to becoming almost overwhelming. It is difficult to find time even to respond to the requests, let alone review the growing number of submissions.<\/p>\n

At my principal academic conference, it was also clear that the journal associated with the closest research network is experiencing exponential growth in the number of submitted manuscripts. A very large proportion of these submissions show clear signs of extensive AI use. Unfortunately, the quality is often lacking, and the work involved in managing the journal has increasingly shifted from cultivating promising intellectual contributions to filtering out weeds. More than ever before, the focus is on eliminating poor-quality submissions rather than nurturing the ideas that may eventually flourish into published articles.<\/p>\n

Exactly where AI development is heading is, of course, impossible to predict. However, it is easy to conclude that we have not experienced anything this transformative for our profession in a very long time, and the pace of change is extraordinary. In this context, it is important to emphasise that it is unlikely we can reverse or even significantly slow this development. The genie is out of the bottle, and we must embrace the change that is taking place.<\/p>\n

One consequence is that all of us need to learn how to use AI in a productive and ethically responsible manner, while also working to prevent misuse and misconduct. Part of this involves discussing collectively how AI should be used throughout the various stages of research and how AI literacy should be integrated into doctoral education. Following extensive discussions within the School’s doctoral education committee and at supervisor seminars, it has become clear that there remains a significant grey area where consensus has not yet been reached regarding what constitutes appropriate AI use in doctoral work.<\/p>\n

There are, however, some areas where agreement does exist, and we have therefore sought to establish these principles in a new set of guidelines for AI use in third-cycle education at ITM<\/a>. I encourage you to read them and share your feedback.<\/p>\n

In the longer term, we may witness profound changes to the entire scientific publishing system as a result of AI. Perhaps AI will even become the factor that delivers the final blow to a system that many of us have regarded as unreasonable, and which, together with our methods for measuring research performance, has sometimes led to questionable priorities.<\/p>\n

At times, certain structures need to burn down completely before something better can emerge from the ashes. It may be that academia is currently facing such a moment. Whatever the outcome, it is undoubtedly a remarkably exciting time to be a researcher.<\/p>\n

\/Mats Magnusson, Deputy Head and Director of Third Cycle Education at the ITM School<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In English further down. Ett forskningslandskap i snabb f\u00f6r\u00e4ndring Vi n\u00e5s n\u00e4stan dagligen av nyheter som understryker att forskning \u00e4r ett fenomen som just nu befinner sig i en hastig och i vissa avseenden disruptiv f\u00f6r\u00e4ndring. Vi kan se hur vissa m\u00e5ngmiljard\u00e4rer skapar nya strukturer f\u00f6r forskning och det \u00e4r givetvis sv\u00e5rt att bortse fr\u00e5n […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1520,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[28,20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deputy-head-of-school","category-director-of-third-cycle-education"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6P3xp-oH","jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1520"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1531"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1532,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1531\/revisions\/1532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kth.se\/blogs\/itm-management\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}