Limitations of Generative AI in Research Grant Development

Generative AI (Gen AI) is a powerful tool for efficiency, but it cannot substitute the critical thinking, specialized expertise, and compliance oversight required in research. Regardless of the tools utilized, researchers bear full responsibility for the proposals they submit.

Limitations in Funding Research

Data Gaps and Cutoffs

Gen AI may suggest expired opportunities or miss new niche calls due to knowledge cutoffs or limited access to real-time, exclusive data. They are not a replacement for specialized funding databases or the university's Research Office.

Potential to miss critical nuances

GenAI may struggle to grasp subtle details and unstated priorities when summarizing funding announcements.

Limitations in Proposal Development

Hallucination

GenAI can generate inaccurate information, fabricated citations, or flawed methodologies. Researchers must verify every citation, factual claim, and technical detail.

Data Security and Confidentiality Concerns

Researchers should never input confidential, unpublished, or proprietary research data into commercially available tools. Using institutional, enterprise-level tools (like Gemini accessed via CCID) is recommended for sensitive work. For more on data security, refer to the University of Alberta's  Artificial Intelligence Data Safety Guidelines.

Plagiarism and Intellectual Property (IP) Violations

GenAI may generate text that closely resembles existing sources. Submitting proposals with such material can constitute plagiarism.

Financial and Budgetary Accuracy

GenAI can draft budget justifications but cannot perform accurate financial planning or integrate proprietary institutional financial data. Researchers are responsible for validating all numerical and financial information.

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