Journal of the Bulgarian Geographical Society 55: 31-42, doi: 10.3897/jbgs.e188669
Thinking about scientific authorship in the age of large language models: Implications for geographers
Chad Staddon‡, Fiorella La Matta Romero§|, Godfred Adu-Sarfo‡, Abdulrahman Hassanin‡‡ University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom§ University of the West of England, Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom| Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
Corresponding author: Chad Staddon ( chad.staddon@uwe.ac.uk ) Academic editor: Hristina Prodanova © Chad Staddon, Fiorella La Matta Romero, Godfred Adu-Sarfo, Abdulrahman Hassanin. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Citation:
Staddon C, La Matta Romero F, Adu-Sarfo G, Hassanin A (2026) Thinking about scientific authorship in the age of large language models: Implications for geographers. Journal of the Bulgarian Geographical Society 55: 31-42. https://doi.org/10.3897/jbgs.e188669 |  |
Abstract
This paper examines whether large language models (LLMs) can qualify as scientific co-authors, situating the debate within broader epistemological and philosophical traditions. Distinguishing between “instrumentalist” and “purist” perspectives, the authors analyse empirical evidence on artificial intelligence (AI) use alongside critiques concerning opacity, accountability, and epistemic authority. Drawing on Plato’s concept of the pharmakon and Derrida’s theory of textual mediation, the paper argues that while AI increasingly participates in knowledge production, authorship entails normative responsibility and answerability that AI systems cannot bear. The authors conclude with practical principles for governing AI use in scientific writing, emphasising collective epistemic stewardship over technological determinism.
Keywords
AI, epistemology, research ethics, science