AI is fabricating citations in biomedical studies, researchers find

An audit found over 4,000 citations in millions of biomedical papers to unverified or non-existent research according to a study published in The Lancet.
The issue poses significant risks as these fabricated citations can distort clinical guidelines, affecting patient care decisions.
Lead researcher Maxim Topaz highlighted not only the dangers but also the increasing rate at which fake references are appearing in published medical literature, which has grown twelve-fold in the past three years.
Topaz himself experienced a case of AI generating a fake citation in his work, which slipped through multiple peer review layers before being identified.
The problem underscores the need for rigorous fact-checking in research, as AI-generated citations can appear credible and misleading.
The study suggests broader issues with AI-generated citations across various fields, emphasizing the critical role of researchers in scrutinizing their sources.

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