AI-Assisted Writing Is Growing Fastest Among Non-English-Speaking and Less Established Scientists

Abstract: The dominance of English in global science has long created significant barriers for non-native speakers. The recent emergence of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) dramatically reduces drafting and revision costs, but, simultaneously, raises a critical question: how is the technology being adopted by the global scientific community, and is it mitigating existing inequities? This study provides first large-scale empirical evidence by analyzing over two million full-text biomedical publications from PubMed Central from 2021 to 2024, estimating the fraction of AI-generated content using a distribution-based framework. We observe a significant post-ChatGPT surge in AI-assisted writing, with adoption growing fastest in contexts where language barriers are most pronounced: approximately 400% in non-English-speaking countries compared to 183% in English-speaking countries. This adoption is highest among less-established scientists, including those with fewer publications and citations, as well as those in early career stages at lower-ranked institutions. Prior AI research experience also predicted higher adoption. Finally, increased AI usage was associated with a modest increase in productivity, narrowing the publication gap between scientists from English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries with higher levels of AI adoption. These findings provide large-scale evidence that generative AI is being adopted unevenly, reflecting existing structural disparities while also offering a potential opportunity to mitigate long-standing linguistic inequalities.