LibGuides: Biology Research Guide: AI Tools and Platforms

AI for Literature Discovery

Consensus
A science-focused search engine that uses AI to extract and summarize findings from peer-reviewed studies in response to natural language questions. (Requires an account. Free and Premium tiers available.)
Elicit
A research assistant that helps identify relevant academic papers, extract key claims and methods, and generate literature summaries for research questions.
Perplexity
An AI-powered chatbot and search engine that provides cited, conversational answers to research queries using a blend of web and academic sources.
R Discovery
A mobile-first AI platform that delivers personalized recommendations and summaries of recent research articles based on your reading interests.
Research Rabbit
A visual literature mapping tool that uses citation and co-authorship networks to help researchers explore related works and build research collections.
Scite
A smart citation tool that shows how papers are cited—supporting, contrasting, or mentioning—to help assess research quality and impact.
Semantic Scholar
An academic search engine that leverages AI to highlight key concepts, citation contexts, and influential papers across scientific disciplines.
Undermind
A newer research assistant that uses large language models to help formulate and refine research ideas, generate outlines, and explore scholarly concepts interactively.

AI for Analysis & Visualization

KNIME Analytics Platform
A free and open source, low-code graphical workflow builder with drag-and-drop AI and ML nodes for life science data analysis.
Orange Data Mining
Orange is a free and open-source data visualization, machine learning, and data mining software program. Its visual programming interface makes it accessible for all levels of experience.
scikit-learn Machine Learning Library
scikit-learn is a free and open-source ML library of predictive data analysis tools for Python. It was developed specifically for use in the sciences and is one of GitHub's most popular libraries.

Responsible Use and Citation of AI Tools

AI tools can be powerful aids in research, but it’s important to use them ethically and transparently. They should not replace critical thinking or original analysis, and their limitations must be understood. If you use an AI tool to generate ideas, analyze data, or assist in writing, you should follow the University's guidelines for responsible use and cite the AI appropriately.

Authorship and AI Statement from COPE
The Committee on Publication Ethics states that AI tools cannot be listed as authors of any scholarly publication, because AI tools cannot take responsibility for their work. Therefore, authors who use these tools must be transparent about their use. For example, in a "methods" section of a paper, authors would describe which tools they used and exactly how the tools were used.
How to Cite ChatGPT, from APA Styleblog
APA's official guidance on how to cite a Large Language Model.
"How do I cite generative AI in MLA style?" from MLA Style Center
MLA's official guidance on how to cite generative AI tools.
How to cite and document artificial intelligence in Chicago Style
Official guidance from the Chicago Manual of Style on how to appropriately cite AI.

AI Use at Gonzaga

Official List of Approved AI Tools from ITS
This page covers which AI services are officially approved by Gonzaga for student, staff, and faculty use. Last updated Feb. 2025.
Academic Integrity Policy from the Center for Student Academic Success
Read the University's official policy statement on academic integrity, and take a look at related resources for faculty and students.
A Guide to Using Generative AI Appropriately, from Instructional Design and Delivery (PDF)
Read about the 6 principles of appropriate AI use at Gonzaga.