Bridging or Widening the Gap? The Role of AI in Shaping Global Research Performance
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12445792 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Rong Ni (0009-0009-6023-3838, Nanyang Technological University), Yao Qu (0009-0009-7738-4093, Nanyang Technological University), Jue Wang (0000-0002-6305-4298), Jianjun Wang (0000-0002-9045-7404, Nanyang Technological University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-30 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Chinese Political Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1080-6954 • E-ISSN: 1555-7898 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11366-026-09931-2 |
| OpenAlex | W7143352761 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 72 |
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a strategic infrastructure for contemporary science, raising pressing questions about whether it will reinforce existing hierarchies or foster more inclusive knowledge production. This study analyzed 134,719 AI-assisted articles using a large-scale large language model-based approach to examine spatial and temporal disparities between the Global North and the Global South (excluding the US and China). Results reveal several global patterns: convergence is observed in research output, while disparities persist in journal prestige. Substantial disciplinary variation also emerges, with digitally accessible fields, such as physics and technology, providing comparatively more equitable entry points for Global South researchers. Notably, collaboration networks exhibit clear North–South asymmetries. Joint publications involving major AI powers such as the US or China are consistently associated with higher journal prestige for the North and South. These findings suggest that AI-assisted research broadens participation and entrenches structural hierarchies, highlighting the need for governance and policy interventions that promote equitable access and inclusive collaboration
Bridging (networking · China · Convergence (economics · Corporate governance · Discipline · Global governance · Global South · Psychological intervention · Scholarship · Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education · Computational and Text Analysis Methods · scientometrics and bibliometrics research
A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence
The impact of generative artificial intelligence on socioeconomic inequalities and policy making
Within- and Between-cluster Effects in Generalized Linear Mixed Models
Fixed and random effects models
Artificial intelligence and illusions of understanding in scientific research
Citation Analysis as a Tool in Journal Evaluation
Team size matters
Can Generative AI improve social science?
The Increasing Dominance of Teams in Production of Knowledge
On the Pooling of Time Series and Cross Section Data
Performance and biases of Large Language Models in public opinion simulation
Governing Artificial Intelligence in an Age of Inequality
What Can AI Learn from Psychology and When Can AI Neglect it
Stag Hunt in the Digital Wilds
Too Perfect to Be Like a Human? Ethical Challenges of Emotional AI in Health care
Student Perceptions of Generative Artificial Intelligence Regulations
Deep learning, deep change? Mapping the evolution and geography of a general purpose technology
Tracking developments in artificial intelligence research
Center–periphery structure in research communities
Fin vs. tech
Leveraging computational methods for nonprofit social media research
An Agent‐Based Simulation of Politicized Topics Using Large Language Models
LLM-Based Viewpoint Mining in the “Blame Game”
Intelligent Technologies and Methodological Transformations in the Social Sciences
Rolling Memory
U.S.-China Technology Competition and the Emergence of Techno-Economic Statecraft in East Asia
AI adoption and diffusion in public administration
Artificial intelligence adoption in the physical sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences and the arts and humanities
Geographical inequity in social work research
Globalization of science and international scientific collaboration
Coloniality of Power and Eurocentrism in Latin America
Hegemony and Inequality in Global Science
The Impact of AI Guilt on Students’ Use of ChatGPT for Academic Tasks
The Real Dangers of Generative AI
AI as Governance
Terra Incognita
World Power Trends and International Relations
Intelligent Computing Social Modeling and Methodological Innovations in Political Science in the Era of Large Language Models
A world-system perspective on the social sciences
An empirical investigation of the impact of ChatGPT on creativity
Quantifying the use and potential benefits of artificial intelligence in scientific research
Human-AI collaboration patterns in AI-assisted academic writing
Global AI governance
Global patterns in the publishing of academic knowledge
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 4 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 4 |