Literature scan: how to do it with AI
Last checked 2026-10-15
IntermediateBot with human review 🔎 Research
Find and summarize papers or articles on a narrow topic.
1. Bot automation level
Bot with human review The bot does the work, but facts, numbers or code should be checked.
2. Before you hand it to the bot
- Gather inputs: files, data samples, links and any templates.
- Access: make sure you can use the chosen bot/plan (see limits below).
- Context: tell the bot audience, purpose, constraints and examples of good output.
- Privacy check: remove personal, confidential or regulated data unless your plan/workspace is approved for it.
- Success criteria: write down what 'done' looks like (length, format, tests passing, fields filled).
3. Copy-paste prompts
Main prompt
Find recent papers on retrieval-augmented generation evaluation; summarize each.
Beginner-friendly
Find recent papers on retrieval-augmented generation evaluation; summarize each. I'm new to this: explain each step in plain words and ask me for anything you need before starting.
Check-your-work
Find recent papers on retrieval-augmented generation evaluation; summarize each. When you finish, list any assumptions you made, anything you're unsure about, and what I should double-check before using the result.
Free tiers that can handle this (verified): Perplexity (incl. Comet), ChatGPT (incl. Work & Codex), Google Gemini, Claude (incl. Claude Code). Others: check plan.
4. Step-by-step
- Define topic, date range and inclusion criteria.
- Ask a cited research tool to find recent papers and summarise each (method, findings, limitations).
- Open every paper link and confirm it exists and says what's claimed.
- Build your own table in a reference manager.
- Add papers found by your library database.
5. Which bots and plans can do it
| Tool | What's different here | Plan limits | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perplexity (incl. Comet) | Cited answers and Deep Research. | Pricing not verified — check official site for Deep Research limits. | www.perplexity.ai/comet/ |
| ChatGPT (incl. Work & Codex) | Deep research on paid plans. | Free tier has limited deep research, Codex and Work; scheduled tasks need Go or higher (per chatgpt.com/pricing). | help.openai.com/en/articles/20001275-chatgpt-work-and-codex |
| Google Gemini | Deep Research reports with sources. | Free tier includes Deep Research, Canvas, Gems; video generation needs AI Plus or higher. | gemini.google/overview/deep-research/ |
| Claude (incl. Claude Code) | Research feature on Pro and higher. | Claude Code and Research need Pro or higher; computer use is Pro/Max only (research preview). | code.claude.com/docs/en/desktop |
| Microsoft Copilot | — | Copilot in Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook needs an eligible Microsoft 365 plan. | www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-copilot/for-individuals/features |
| Grok | — | Free to try; SuperGrok gives higher limits and multi-agent (price not verified). | x.ai/grok |
Free or paid?
- Perplexity (incl. Comet): Free plan: yes. search with citations, limited daily use. Paid: the lowest price we could verify on the official pricing page is $17/month (other plans may exist). Its free tier can handle this task.
- ChatGPT (incl. Work & Codex): Free plan: yes. unlimited text chats; limited uploads, images, voice, deep research and Codex. Paid: price not verified, so check the official site. Its free tier can handle this task.
- Google Gemini: Free plan: yes. Flash-Lite model, image generation, Deep Research, Live, Canvas, Gems. Video needs AI Plus or higher. Paid: the lowest price we could verify on the official pricing page is $99.99/month (other plans may exist). Its free tier can handle this task.
- Claude (incl. Claude Code): Free plan: yes. chat, web search, files & code execution, Artifacts, connectors. Claude Code and Research need Pro. Paid: the lowest price we could verify on the official pricing page is $20/month (other plans may exist). Its free tier can handle this task.
- Microsoft Copilot: Free: not verified, so check the official site. Paid: the lowest price we could verify on the official pricing page is $23.5/month (other plans may exist). For this task, check the plan.
- Grok: Free plan: yes. to try; SuperGrok has higher limits (price not verified). Paid: price not verified, so check the official site. For this task, check the plan.
6. Risks and what to double-check
- AI tools can cite papers that don't exist or misattribute findings — always open the source.
- Coverage of paywalled journals is limited.
- Open the cited sources; AI can misquote or cite outdated pages.
- AI can hallucinate facts — verify anything that matters.
- Don't share secrets or other people's personal data.