If you’re a medical writer, you’ve probably spent more time than you’d like hunting down expert sources. Ever find yourself searching the internet for hours, only to hit a dead end? Generative AI (gen AI) might just offer the help you didn’t know you needed.
Gen AI tools can quickly scan massive databases, research articles, and public profiles to suggest potential experts on a given topic—whether you’re writing about CRISPR, long COVID, or the latest in Alzheimer’s research. Just ask it a question such as, “Who are top researchers in pediatric infectious diseases?” and you’ll get a curated list in seconds. It’s a great way to jump-start your outreach.
But is this approach foolproof? Not quite.
While gen AI can surface helpful names, it doesn’t always get it right. Sometimes it might list someone who’s no longer active in the field or even attribute a specialty to the wrong person.
A few months ago, I was having trouble finding experts who had extensive experience in both clinical and research aspects of immunotherapy. I asked for gen AI’s help only to find out that 3 of the 5 experts in the search results were basic researchers focusing on general immunology, with no clinical background. Fortunately, I only needed quotes from two experts for the article I was writing, so things worked out well. However, I still needed to rely on my fact-checking abilities to make sure I’d reach out to the right people!
If you use gen AI tools to help you find people who can provide quotes for your pieces, always double-check their credentials, affiliations, and whether the person is an expert in the topic and area you’re writing about.
Gen AI can speed up your search, but it shouldn’t be the final step. It can assist with your research assistant but isn’t a final authority.
Have you used gen AI to find sources yet? You might be surprised, but don’t forget to verify before you contact an expert.
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Explore Evergreen’s content on AI.
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