Automated scholarly paper review: Possibility and challenges

Peer review is a widely accepted mechanism for research evaluation, playing a pivotal role in scholarly publishing. However, criticisms have long been leveled on this mechanism, mostly because of its inefficiency and subjectivity. Recent years have seen the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in assisting the peer review process. Nonetheless, with the involvement of humans, such limitations remain inevitable. In this review paper, we propose the concept of automated scholarly paper review (ASPR) and review the relevant literature and technologies to discuss the possibility of achieving a full-scale computerized review process. We further look into the challenges in ASPR with the existing technologies. On the basis of the review and discussion, we conclude that there are already corresponding research and technologies at each stage of ASPR. This verifies that ASPR can be realized in the long term as the relevant technologies continue to develop. The major difficulties in its realization lie in imperfect document parsing and representation, inadequate data, defected human-computer interaction and flawed deep logical reasoning. In the foreseeable future, ASPR and peer review will coexist in a reinforcing manner before ASPR is able to fully undertake the reviewing workload from humans.