Change before we have to: what eLife and artificial intelligence are telling us

Abstract

Scholarly publishing is being reshaped silently by both inner and outer forces. eLife’s innovative publishing framework and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), while arising through distinct evolutionary pathways, converge to reveal deeper development trajectories within contemporary knowledge ecosystem. The scholarly publishing is undergoing structural transformations in response to mounting pressures from escalating output volumes, intensifying efficiency demands, evolving reliability thresholds for peer-review systems, and contested governance mechanisms. The long-entrenched frameworks of scholarly communication now face intensifying contestations, particularly in the ossified metrics-driven evaluation regime and the emerging discussions about definitions and ethics to reconcile open science. Despite their imperfections, these transformations are collectively contributing to the erosion of communicative barriers and facilitating accelerated knowledge exchange in scientific communities. To see a world in a grain of sand. eLife and AI are highlighting the transformation occurring within scholarly publishing and its associated ecosystems. It is imperative that we embrace change proactively, rather than reactively.