AI-Generated Scientific Papers and Fake Authorship Exposed in Major Publication Fraud Scandal

Scientific Study Uncovers Widespread AI-Driven Fraud in Academic Publishing

On 23 June 2025, a new investigation exposed the extensive use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to produce and publish fraudulent scientific articles over several years within the Global International Journal of Innovative Research.

The issue came to light in 2024 when an entirely fabricated article was falsely attributed to a respected researcher. This prompted a detailed examination using automated tools to collect and analyze every article published in the journal. The study focused on key indicators such as the number of in-text citations, authors’ institutional affiliations, and their contact details.

Methodology

A heuristic model flagged articles with suspiciously low citation counts, leveraging the fact that AI tools like ChatGPT often generate unreliable or fabricated references. A subset of these articles underwent manual review for signs of AI authorship. The Turnitin AI detection tool provided additional support for the analysis.

Key Findings

• Out of 53 articles with the fewest in-text citations, 48 were likely AI-generated.
• Numerous papers were falsely attributed to researchers from prestigious institutions including Washington University, Texas A&M, University of California at Berkeley, USC Keck School of Medicine, HEC Montreal, University of Shanghai, George Mason University, DePaul University, and Penn State.
• In two cases, the listed authors were deceased at the time of publication.

The journal appeared to exploit AI-generated papers for two main purposes. First, to enhance its perceived prestige by listing reputable institutions as authors, attracting contributors eager for easy academic credits. Second, by offering genuine authors quick publication routes via AI-generated studies, thus profiting from researchers’ desire to bolster their CVs.

Consequences and Recommendations

This situation highlights a serious threat to the integrity of scientific publishing. AI-generated and falsely attributed articles can erode trust within the academic community. The study recommends strengthening author verification processes and revising research evaluation systems to better detect and prevent such fraud.

Without improved safeguards, the unchecked spread of AI-generated publications risks undermining the credibility of scholarly communication.

For more on AI's impact in research and ethical publishing practices, you might find relevant courses and resources at Complete AI Training.

Reference

Spinellis, D. False authorship: an explorative case study around an AI-generated article published under my name. Research Integrity and Peer Review 10, 8 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-025-00165-z