Knowledge Generation Through Open Access and Generative Artificial Intelligence

Knowledge Generation Through Open Access and Generative Artificial Intelligence

Thamsanqa Hombana1

1Thamsanqa Hombana

Library Services Department, Witwatersrand University, South Africa

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Abstract - The amount of data generated by scientific knowledge is growing exponentially, much faster than natural intelligence, making it increasingly more challenging for researchers to manage their data. Reputable Generative AI (GenAI) is seen as a crucial instrument to help modern researchers facilitate ethical publications and knowledge production. This study looks at how South African researchers can move the development of ethical knowledge using artificial intelligence by utilizing open access methodologies and practices. GenAI has completely changed the scientific research landscape by providing advanced tools for knowledge generation, data management, and ethical publishing. In South Africa, researchers are using GenAI more and more to handle the complexity of modern research data. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate how functional knowledge can be produced and utilized through AI tools, emphasizing the advantages of open access to scientific data and its moral ramifications. When ethical GenAI and Open Access (OA) are incorporated into South African higher education, the implications for universal access to knowledge are profound. The creation and distribution of scientific knowledge are significantly impacted by OA since it reduces the time needed to share research findings and broadens the pool of potential knowledge recipients (Bernius 2010b).

Key Words:  Open Access, Ethical Knowledge Creation, Artificial intelligence-generated Scientific Content, South Africa, Research Ethics, Open Science, Knowledge Equity