Artificial Intelligence for Better Evidence Synthesis

Systematic reviews are resource-intensive and time-consuming. At the same time, the volume of scientific literature continues to grow rapidly. To ensure that high-quality evidence can still be produced efficiently and in a timely manner, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important.

The Cochrane AI Methods Group was established to advance the development and cross-organizational adoption of innovative AI methods in evidence synthesis. Together with leading international evidence synthesis organiszations - including the Campbell Collaboration, JBI, and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence - Cochrane is driving methodological innovation and the implementation of AI-supported tools.

The group aims to develop standards and guidance for the responsible, transparent, and validated use of AI in systematic reviews. This includes applications for study identification, screening, data extraction, and the updating of existing reviews. Close collaboration between organizations helps leverage synergies, avoid duplication of efforts, and establish shared quality standards.

Gerald Gartlehner, Co-Director of Cochrane Austria, is a member of the AI Methods Group and contributes his extensive methodological expertise to the development and implementation of AI-supported approaches.

In the long term, the structured use of AI is expected to make evidence syntheses faster and more efficient while maintaining the high methodological standards for which Cochrane is known.

Further information is available on the English-language webpage of the Cochrane AI Methods Group. 

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