If you're a researcher, this has surely happened to you: You need to find papers, analyze them, extract data, summarize them… and you end up opening five different platforms and juggling everything..
Today I bring you an honest, clear and practical comparison between three of the most used AI tools in research: ChatGPT, Scite and Elicit.
Not to discuss which is "better", but to help you understand what each one does, when to use it, and how they can complement each other.
Because yes, spoiler alert: You don't need to choose just one., but you do need to know which one is right for each task.
ChatGPT for researchers
ChatGPT is the "all-rounder": it can do almost anything, but you have to know how to ask it for what you want.
What it does well
- Explain complex concepts as if a friend were telling you (but a smart friend).
- Helping to write, correct and clarify scientific texts.
- Generate code, scripts, or analysis pipelines.
- Helping you understand papers when you give it fragments or parts of the article.
- Designing research ideas, preliminary protocols, or methodological approaches.
If you need flexibility, creativity, or reinterpretation, ChatGPT is a lifesaver.
What makes it regular
- Actual scientific research, Unless you use models with internet access (and even then, it's not their strong suit).
- To quote with millimeter precision if you don't check afterwards.
- Access to locked papers or private databases (obvious, but worth mentioning).
What to use it for: understand, explain, write, program, plan…
Why not use it so much? systematic searches, citation verification.
Scite for researchers
Here we move into the “harder” territory of the academic world. Scite doesn't want to be your creative partner; He wants to be the librarian obsessed with evidence..
What it does well
- Check appointmentsScite shows you if a paper was supported, disputed or simply mentioned by other articles.
- Analyze the quality of the evidence that supports a publication.
- Find related articles based on real quotes, not just keywords.
- Create citation maps super useful for literature reviews.
What makes it regular
- He does not write.
- It doesn't give you creativity or ideas.
- It does not “summarize” naturally like ChatGPT or Elicit.
What to use it for: verify rigor, critically review literature, evaluate the quality of a paper.
Why not use it: inspiration, writing, or more dynamic tasks.
Elicit for researchers
Here comes Elicit, the tool that many researchers use in secret because… It works magic.
It's like an "assistant who reads papers for you and gives you the important information.".
What it does well
- Conduct intelligent scientific searches AI-based.
- Summarize papers highlighting hypothesis, method, results and conclusions.
- Extract comparative tables with questions like: “What studies investigate X variable in Y population?”
- Detect trends across multiple articles without you reading them one by one.
What makes it regular
- Accuracy depends heavily on the available papers.
- Sometimes an irrelevant paper slips in (something like "I don't know why this one is here").
- He doesn't write as well as ChatGPT.
What to use it for: quick searches, summaries, preliminary reviews, data extraction.
Why not use it: content creation, in-depth analysis, protocol design.
Which one to choose based on your needs?
Let's get down to business. If you're thinking, "Okay, great, but which one do I use tomorrow in the lab?", here's the answer:
If you need to understand, write, or program → ChatGPT
Perfect for:
- Introductions
- Theoretical justification
- Explain methods
- Create or debug code
- Rewrite sections for greater clarity
If you want to learn how to get the most out of it, there are resources (such as learning guides from Maxymia) that teach you how to use AI professionally without sacrificing scientific rigor. You can see it on the website of specialized AI courses for scientists by Maximia.
If you need to verify rigor → Scite
Perfect for:
- Systematic reviews
- Meta-analysis
- Check if a paper is well supported
- Avoid questionable dates
If you need to search, compare, or summarize → Elicit
Perfect for:
- Quick review of the state of the art
- Article Screening
- Exploratory questions
- Extract information without reading everything
It's not ChatGPT vs Scite vs Elicit. It's ChatGPT and Scite and Elicit.
Each one has their own superpower, and together they make your life as a researcher much easier and, why not say it, less stressful.
If you want to learn how to integrate them into your research workflow, optimize time, and work smarter, you can visit the Maxymia, where they have courses specifically designed for scientists who want to use AI without losing rigor or spending hours learning on their own.
Biotechnologist and biostatistician specializing in data analysis and artificial intelligence applied to research. Founder of Maxymia, combines science and technology to develop solutions and training in automation for the scientific field.
