Health literacy in ChatGPT: exploring the potential of the use of artificial intelligence to produce academic text

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify and analyze the main constituent elements of text generated by ChatGPT in response to questions on an emerging topic in the academic literature in Portuguese – health literacy – and discuss how the evidence produced can contribute to improv-ing our understanding of the limits and challenges of using artificial intelligence (AI) in academic writing. We conducted an exploratory descriptive study based on responses to five consecutive questions in Portuguese and English with increasing levels of complexity put to ChatGPT. Our findings reveal the potential of the use of widely avail-able, unrestricted access AI-based technologies like ChatGPT for academic writing. Featuring a simple and intuitive interface, the tool generated structured and coherent text using natural-like language. Considering that academic productiv-ism is associated with a growing trend in profes-sional misconduct, especially plagiarism, there is a need too take a careful look at academic writing and scientific knowledge dissemination processes mediated by AI technologies.