ABSTRACT
Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into scientific research has significantly advanced various processes, including data analysis, literature reviews, and manuscript preparation, thereby enhancing efficiency. However, the rapid adoption of AI has raised ethical concerns, such as authorship disputes, misinformation dissemination, plagiarism, and intellectual property violations. This study comprehensively examines the ethical implications of AI, evaluates pertinent EU regulations, and proposes mitigation measures. The study’s findings indicate significant institutional policy deficiencies: nearly half of the surveyed researchers reported an absence of AI guidelines. Despite the EU’s 2019 ethics guidelines emphasizing transparency, accountability, and human oversight, challenges related to fragmented intellectual property (IP) laws and governance issues persist. The study proposes implementing comprehensive ethical frameworks that include the following components: requiring AI disclosure, preserving human agency, and establishing robust data privacy protocols. Striking a balance between the transformative potential of AI and stringent ethical standards is imperative to ensuring the integrity of research. Institutions and policymakers must prioritize establishing clear regulations, transparency, and human oversight to prevent ethical breaches and maintain trust in scientific scholarship.