Professor’s AI-Generated Paper Exposes Predatory Journaling
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A professor at the University of Valencia in Spain successfully submitted an AI-generated paper to a predatory journal, highlighting the ease with which such publications bypass quality control. The experiment, detailed in a guest post on Retraction Watch, demonstrates the ongoing issues with academic publishing and the proliferation of journals lacking rigorous peer review.
The Experiment
Pascual D. Diago, a professor in the Department of Teaching of Mathematics, conceived the experiment as a response to the constant stream of spam emails targeting academics. He used ChatGPT to create a paper on a nonsensical topic – applying mathematical equations to obstetrics – titled “Obstetric Paradoxes and Didactic Equations.” He intentionally named the author profiles with names that, when read in Spanish, sound like ‘me lo invento’ (I’m making it up).
Remarkably,the paper was accepted for publication by the Obstetric & Gynecological journal within an hour.Shortly after acceptance, Diago received an invoice for Article Processing charges (APCs) totaling USD $2,949, due within days. He refused to pay, and when prompted by an email signed by “Robbie Williams” (the journal representative, not the singer), he responded with references to the musician’s songs and a fabricated payment receipt from the “CheatBank of Spain” generated by AI.
Publication and Continued Harassment
Despite not paying the APCs, the article was published online with a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) assigned. The published article remains accessible as of February 7, 2026. The journal continued to send payment requests via email, even after Diago’s deliberately provocative response.
The situation escalated when Diago received an unsolicited invitation to a gynecology conference,with his paper cited as being “pertinent to themes under consideration” by the conference organizers at Scientex Conference.
Motivations and Implications
Diago’s motivations were twofold: to retaliate against predatory spam emails and to demonstrate the lack of scientific rigor and ethical standards within these journals. He noted that the experiment largely confirmed what academics already know about predatory publishing practices.
What are Predatory Journals?
Predatory journals are publications that prioritize profit over quality control. They often solicit articles aggressively,have lax or nonexistent peer review processes,and charge authors high fees for publication. beall’s List,though no longer actively maintained,was a well-known resource for identifying potentially predatory journals. Researchers should carefully evaluate journals before submitting their work, considering factors like impact factor, editorial board credibility, and indexing in reputable databases like Scopus and Web of Science.
Key Takeaways
- Predatory journals continue to pose a threat to academic integrity.
- AI can be used to easily generate content that bypasses the minimal quality control of these journals.
- Researchers must be vigilant in identifying and avoiding predatory publications.
- The lack of rigorous peer review in predatory journals undermines the credibility of scientific research.
Pascual D. Diago is a professor in the Department of Teaching of Mathematics at the University of Valencia in Spain. His research focuses on the use of new technologies in teaching mathematics.
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