Could agentic AI topple grant-funding systems?

"AI agents can generate a research grant application, review it and submit it, significantly reducing the workload for researchers and increasing the speed of the application process."

"The volume of grant applications has risen sharply, and the quality of proposals seems to have improved, making it harder for funders to discriminate between them."

"As AI agents become more widespread, the challenges in the grant-funding system are likely to increase, necessitating a reevaluation of funding allocation by policymakers."

AI tools, known as agents, are transforming grant writing by generating and submitting research applications autonomously. These agents utilize large language models to plan and execute tasks based on a researcher's work and grant criteria. While this increases productivity and improves proposal quality, it also raises concerns about the sustainability of the grant-funding system. The rising volume of applications and enhanced quality complicate the evaluation process for funders, prompting a need for policymakers to reconsider funding allocation strategies.

Read at Nature