Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming one of the most useful tools for researchers across the world. From universities and startups to corporate R&D labs, AI tools are revolutionising how studies are planned, conducted, and published. According to our 2025 Currents report, approximately 79% of professionals already utilise AI in some form, and 26% rely on it to make their daily work faster and more efficient. With advancements in machine learning and natural language processing, AI is now capable of doing much more than just automating simple tasks; it can analyse information, write drafts, and even predict research outcomes with impressive accuracy.
The biggest benefit of AI in research is speed and accuracy. These tools can handle massive amounts of data within seconds that could take humans several days or weeks. This saves time, reduces mistakes, and allows researchers to focus on deeper analysis rather than routine data tasks.
With so many AI research platforms available, selecting the right one can be a bit confusing. Every tool offers something different, from tracking citations and predicting data trends to summarising research papers and visualising results. Here are the 5 best AI research tools that are worth trying.
Gatsbi
Gatsbi is touted as an AI “co-scientist,” helping researchers move from idea to draft at lightning speed. It can generate entire research paper outlines, equations, tables, and even formatted references. Available as both a web and desktop app, it also allows local data storage for added security. What makes Gatsbi stand out is its ability to integrate citations directly from Google Scholar, ensuring they’re accurate and up to date. For anyone struggling with writer’s block or needing a head start on a paper, Gatsbi feels like a true digital collaborator.
Consensus
Consensus is what you’d get if ChatGPT and Google Scholar had a smart baby. It’s an AI search engine designed to answer direct questions, like “Does meditation improve sleep quality?” and then back up the answer with peer-reviewed evidence. The tool focuses on topics such as economics, psychology, health, and social policy. What makes Consensus special is its ability to summarise academic agreement on a topic, saving researchers hours of manual searching and filtering.
Elicit
Elicit has quickly become a favourite among academics. This AI-powered research assistant can find relevant studies, summarise insights, and even help structure literature reviews. It doesn’t just rely on keyword matching; it uses semantic search to understand context, helping uncover papers that might otherwise be missed. For early-stage research, where brainstorming and mapping ideas take centre stage, Elicit is an invaluable partner.
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Scite.ai
Scite takes citation tracking to the next level. It doesn’t just tell you who cited a paper, it shows how they cited it. Did they support the claim, refute it, or merely mention it? This contextual approach helps researchers assess the strength of an argument or identify controversial findings. It’s especially useful for meta-analyses and review papers, where understanding citation dynamics can make or break a study.
Research Rabbit
If you’re a visual thinker, Research Rabbit might be your best bet. It helps researchers build and explore collections of academic papers through interactive citation maps. You can start from one key paper and then expand outward, discovering connected works along the way. It also supports shared collections, making collaboration with teammates much smoother. Research Rabbit is ideal for anyone who wants to explore the broader context of a research field, rather than individual studies in isolation.