“An Assistant in Your Pocket”: How Generative AI Shapes the Publishing Practices of Russian Postgraduate Students

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is a serious challenge for science and education. To investigate the key dimensions of its perception, we conducted an applied sociological study involving Russian postgraduate students. They are just beginning their careers in science and they must publish the results of their research. The article analyzes the data from a survey conducted in 2025 among students enrolled in programs for highly qualified personnel at the National Research Mordovia State University. At the time of the study, there were 566 postgraduate students enrolled at the university, of whom 409 responded to our survey. The data obtained indicate that the use of GenAI does not have a significant impact on respondents’ publication activity. At the same time, it was found that postgraduate students with experience using GenAI and other digital tools are more tolerant of unethical publication practices. It has been established that the experience of using GenAI by postgraduate students is becoming a factor determining the demand for regulatory frameworks governing the use of digital tools in publication activities, but there is still no consensus on what rules and criteria should define acceptable practices. The results of this study may contribute to the regulation of GenAI use in the publication activities of university staff and postgraduate students. Moreover, the findings highlight the need for training of all members of the academic community in the ethical use of GenAI.

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