Embracing Co-Creation: Tools for Human-AI Collaboration in Science

Introduction

In the current pre-AGI era, the fusion of human creativity and artificial intelligence is a powerful catalyst for productivity and innovation. This symbiosis, especially evident in writing and content creation, underscores the premise that good writing is good thinking and good proofreading. In this iterative process of refining ideas, the human mind initiates with a unique idea, AI can rapidly generate initial versions (V1) which humans then meticulously refine, leveraging AI’s capabilities to enhance the final output. This iterative collaboration has proven effective across various domains, including text, image, and video generation.

The necessity for a platform that embodies this co-creative paradigm in the realm of scientific research has never been more apparent. The traditional academic publishing model, while striving for rigor and precision, often fails to embrace the potential of AI fully. This gap has led to instances where the use of AI in research is either undisclosed or misapplied.

As early as 2020, recognizing the obsolescence of conventional notions of authorship and plagiarism, our previous publications have advocated for a more open and integrated approach to AI in research.

Enter Preprints.io: a blockchain-based research platform that aims at transparently fostering collaboration between human intellect and artificial intelligence.

Roadmap

Research Manuscripts as NFTs

At its core, Preprints.io offers a permissionless avenue for publishing research, initially concentrating on blockchain research — a field currently scattered across various forums with limited visibility. The platform ensures the permanence and accessibility of manuscripts by recording them as NFTs on IPFS, with authors retaining control over access.

The First Preprint Server You Can Chat With

Symbolizing the Input/Output dynamic, Preprints.io isn’t merely a repository; it’s a proactive participant in the research process. Through Preprints Chat, a chatbot designed to distill and connect research findings, the platform enhances the discoverability of manuscripts in an intuitive dialogue interface.

A Self-Sustaining Human-AI Research Ecosystem:

Preprints.io’s vision extends to cultivating a self-reliant ecosystem where human researchers and AI thrive in symbiosis. This ecosystem will feature AI-assisted peer review, an AI paper writer, and a blockchain-based survey system, among other innovations, all incentivized by the $PRNT token. This comprehensive framework aims to not only streamline the research process but also elevate the quality and impact of academic work.

Human Input is Even More Valuable

AI’s ability to generate unlimited amounts passing output makes human thought, curation and evaluation all the more valuable and requires meticulous scrutiny in ensuring that the co-creative output not only meets but exceeds scholarly expectations.. Preprints.io put a particular emphasis on rigorous human proofreading and peer review, augmented by AI.

Science, Beyond Citations and KPIs

Academic science has progressively succumbed to Goodhart’s Law. The pursuit of citations often overshadows the pursuit of knowledge. The focus on such metrics can inhibit truly innovative research that may not yield immediate citations but holds significant potential. The impact of research can and should extend beyond mere citation counts and contribute directly to society and industry.

Preprints imagines a world where these KPIs are irrelevant. What kind of research would we pursue if citations were no object? This question is at the heart of what we do. With preprints.io, the journey of a research paper is reimagined. Once a preprint is published, it can follow traditional routes of peer review and publication, or it can embark on alternative paths that challenge the norm.

One such path is transforming these preprints into practical products through grants that connect researchers with developers. Another is incorporating the research into our AI knowledge base, which can spawn further studies and discoveries.

Current information and updates about Preprints.io can be found on our X Account and Lnk.bio.