GoKawiilIEEE Spectrum reporter tests AI-generated fake paper against IEEE Access review process
A journalist used large language models to 'vibe-research' a fabricated scientific paper, generating hypotheses, code and text with minimal human input, then worked with Jenny Mahoney, managing editor of IEEE Access, to test whether the fake submission could slip past the journal's review defenses. The experiment follows data showing a sharp rise in detectable AI involvement in academic papers, from about 12 percent in 2023 to an estimated 57 percent in 2025, alongside reports that over 12 percent of Nature Communications reviews in 2025 were entirely AI-generated.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The experiment suggests that AI tools can make fabricating convincing but fake research dramatically easier, which could strain peer review systems already run largely by unpaid volunteers. IEEE's Amanda Sulicz argues this trend threatens trust in the scientific record itself, though whether publishers can scale up detection without overburdening reviewers remains an open question the test aims to probe. The findings could inform how journals decide to screen submissions for AI-generated content going forward.
- Detectable AI influence in published academic articles reportedly rose from about 12% in 2023 to roughly 57% in 2025.
- Over 12% of Nature Communications reviews in 2025 were found to be fully AI-generated.
- A reporter and IEEE Access editor Jenny Mahoney tested whether an AI-fabricated paper could pass the journal's review process.
Source: spectrum.ieee.org — Benjamin Skuse, 2026-10-27
Published there as: “I Used AI to Fake a Scientific Paper. Here’s What Happened”
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