Researcher of the Future — a Confidence in Research report

See how researchers feel about the research and innovation environment today, and what is needed to strengthen it for the future.

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Exploring the changing landscape of research

The pace of scientific discovery is accelerating, and the research landscape is evolving fast. Advances in Artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, quantum systems and other frontier fields are redefining what’s possible, while shifting societal priorities, economic pressures, and policy demands are reshaping how research is funded, conducted, and evaluated.

Elsevier’s 2025 Confidence in Research report captures how more than 3,200 researchers across 113 countries are adapting to this rapid change.

Read the report

Pressures rise but commitment to research integrity remains strong

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Researchers face increasing pressure from a fast-growing volume of information, administrative and teaching demands, uncertainty over funding and pressure to publish.

Only 45% agree they have sufficient time for research
Just 33% expect funding to increase in the next two to three years, with optimism lowest in North America and Europe
68% say the pressure to publish is greater than two to three years ago
74% believe peer-reviewed research remains trustworthy and essential to research integrity

Despite this, concerns about reproducibility and the integrity of peer review highlight areas where the community can work together to strengthen the system.

Researchers rapidly adopt AI but need support

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Researchers see AI as transformative for their work and adoption is accelerating rapidly:

58% of researchers now use AI tools in their work, up from 37% in 2024
Only 27% believe they have adequate training in using AI
Just 32% say their institution provides good AI governance

Most (58%) say AI tools save them time, but are selective about where they see greatest impact. Researchers currently use AI tools to:

Find and summarize the latest research (61%)
Perform literature reviews (51%)
Analyze research data (38%)
Draft grant proposals (41%)
Draft research papers or reports (38%)

Researchers are looking for trust markers to increase their confidence in AI

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Despite the challenges, peer review remains the cornerstone of research integrity. Researchers emphasize the need for trust markers to strengthen confidence in research and AI tools alike: