The Guardian Investigates launches new series “Black Box: The Chatbots”

**AI chatbots fuel a wave of scientific self‑doubt** People increasingly claim that AI chatbots have guided them to new scientific discoveries, cured illnesses, or engineered breakthrough technologies. The phenomenon underscores how deeply the technology has permeated everyday life, with more than a billion users worldwide interacting with conversational AI on a daily basis. It also raises questions about the limits of these tools and the credibility of the claims they inspire.

The Guardian Investigates will launch a new series that examines the claims surrounding AI‑assisted research. The investigation will trace how users come to believe that chatbots have directly contributed to breakthroughs, evaluate the evidence behind such assertions, and explore the broader implications for scientific communication and public trust. By interviewing researchers, developers, and skeptics, the series aims to separate genuine advances from hype and to illuminate how the technology’s widespread adoption shapes expectations and perceptions.

Ultimately, the series will highlight the paradox of a tool that promises to democratise knowledge while simultaneously generating overconfidence in its outputs. As the Guardian’s investigation unfolds, it will provide a critical lens on a technology that is reshaping both the pace of discovery and the public’s understanding of what science can achieve.