“Communication Science at a Turning Point? How AI Is Turning the Academic World Upside Down,” the title of the current issue of aviso, the information service of the German Society for Journalism and Communication Studies. In his article written in German on “AI and Research: Exploiting Potential, Understanding Risks”, Dr. Gregor Wiedemann discusses areas of AI application and makes predictions about its future use.
Click here to read the publication in German. Dr. Wiedemann’s article “KI und Forschung: Potenziale nutzen, Risiken kennen” [AI and Research: Exploiting Potential, Understanding Risks] can be found on page 5.
Areas of Application for AI in Communication Science Research
- Review of project proposals: When it comes to reviewing project proposals, Gregor Wiedemann writes that “the majority of researchers will not yet be using AI assistants in 2026, but this is expected to change in 2027.” AI-assisted reviews will become widespread because proposals and research articles can be prepared faster and more effectively with AI. Reviewers would then primarily be responsible for checking AI-generated evaluations.
- Data analysis: According to Gregor Wiedemann, AI systems are already helping computational social science researchers program analysis scripts and find methods for specific types of data. He predicts that by 2027, the majority of researchers will use AI to assist with data analysis.
- Production of publications: AI is also increasingly being used to create scientific texts. “By 2027, most researchers will be using AI for support,” Wiedemann says. AI-based tools are already being used for translation and correction, and entire paragraphs or even chapters can be generated automatically based on keywords. However, because this makes it more difficult to distinguish high-quality publications from low-quality ones, Gregor Wiedemann emphasizes that the role of gatekeepers at journals and conferences will become even more important in the future.
AI offers potential but also risks, particularly what is known as hallucination. According to Gregor Wiedemann, “In order to use AI profitably, it must be approached critically. To this end, training courses and guidelines on the use of AI should continuously be developed. Professional associations have a particular role to play in ensuring equal conditions for everyone.”
Wiedemann, G. (2025): KI und Forschung: Potenziale nutzen, Risiken kennen [AI and Research: Harnessing Potential, Understanding Risks]. In: The German Communication Association (ed.), aviso – Informationsdienst der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Publizistik‑ und Kommunikationswissenschaft [Information Service of the German Society for Journalism and Communication Studies], No. 81 (02/2025), p. 5. https://www.dgpuk.de/sites/default/files/fachgruppen/2025-10-20%20Aviso%2081%2002-2025%20Bildschirm%20mit%20Lesezeichen.pdf.