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Researchers seek to influence peer review with hidden AI prompts

Academics may be leaning on a novel strategy to influence peer review of their research papers — adding hidden prompts designed to coax AI tools to deliver positive feedback.

Academics may be leaning on a novel strategy to influence peer review of their research papers — adding hidden prompts designed to coax AI tools to deliver positive feedback. The papers were usually related to computer science, with prompts that were brief (one to three sentences) and reportedly hidden via white text or extremely small fonts. One Waseda professor contacted by Nikkei Asia defended their use of a prompt — since many conferences ban the use of AI to review papers, they said the prompt is supposed to serve as “a counter against ‘lazy reviewers’ who use AI.”

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