(20 May 2025) AI add-ons incorporating retrieval-augmented generation are everywhere in academic search. But how—and how well—do they work? Our reviewer put Primo Research Assistant, Web of Science Research Assistant, and Scopus AI to the test.
Over the last two years, academic search tools have increasingly incorporated retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) with large language models (LLMs) like GPT. These tools—including Elicit, Scite Assistant, and Undermind—retrieve relevant documents from their respective indexes (title and abstract only) and generate summarized answers with citations.
Among this crop of AI add-on modules for academic search tools are the three that are the subject of this review: Primo Research Assistant, Scopus AI, and Web of Science Research Assistant.
This review will appear in two parts. In this installment, I will focus on these tools’ retrieval functionality. In the second part, to be published at a later date, I will address additional features that identify seminal papers and experts, generate visualizations, and more.
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