University of Chicago professor faces scrutiny over 200 AI-assisted articles

Nicholas Polson, a statistics professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, has faced scrutiny after publishing more than 200 academic articles this year. Polson admitted to using artificial intelligence to assist in his research, though it remains unclear if he disclosed this use in his publications.

In response to his high volume of output, the platform SSRN removed 257 of Polson's works over the last month and froze the associated accounts. A spokesperson for the platform noted that while the lack of AI disclosure was a factor, the primary concern was the unusual quantity of submissions. In addition to the articles, Polson's name appears on 14 books published this year.

The incident highlights growing concerns regarding AI in academia. Researchers warn that excessive use of these tools can lead to plagiarism, redundant work, non-existent citations, and data errors. Academic publishers have also noted a surge in submissions; Elsevier reported a 68 percent increase in submissions between 2021 and 2025, while the journal Organization Science saw submissions double since the arrival of ChatGPT.