The future of scholarly publishing

As we look ahead, three forces are driving change across scholarly publishing—technology, globalization, and sustainability.

Understanding how these forces interact helps explain not just how publishing works today, but why it’s evolving. From the use of AI in editorial workflows to the expanding geography of publications about research findings and the investments required to sustain quality and access, each force is reshaping how knowledge is shared—and who has a voice in that process.

AI is reshaping how reports about research findings are created, reviewed, published, and discovered. From language editing and plagiarism detection to peer review triage and metadata enrichment, publishers are increasingly integrating AI into their workflows to improve efficiency and accuracy. Generative AI models, in particular, are being closely examined for both their potential and their pitfalls—raising urgent questions around transparency, attribution, and integrity. For authors and editors alike, understanding where and how AI fits into the publishing process has become essential.

But this isn’t just about tools. It’s about trust. As STM members work to define responsible standards for the use of AI in scholarly communications, the stakes are high: the research community must ensure that new technologies support—not undermine—the values of rigor, accountability, and human judgment that underpin scientific progress. With use cases rapidly expanding, it’s critical to build thoughtful governance around AI that reflects both its power and its limitations.

The center of gravity in scholarly publishing is shifting. Once dominated by a handful of countries, the research ecosystem is now more globally distributed than ever. According to STM’s 2023 Trends overview, China alone accounts for roughly 25% of all scholarly output, while India has emerged as the third-largest producer of articles reporting on research findings worldwide. Contributions from Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa are steadily rising, reflecting both increased investment in research infrastructure and a growing base of scholars across these regions.

This expansion is transforming not only where knowledge is created, but how it is shared. A more diverse, multilingual, and globally representative research publishing landscape brings immense opportunities—alongside new questions about visibility, accessibility, and equity. As the publishing ecosystem continues to evolve, ensuring that researchers everywhere can participate fully and fairly in the global scholarly dialogue remains a vital priority.

Sustainable scholarly publishing requires more than open access to content—it demands open eyes to the infrastructure, systems, and people that make communication about research findings possible. From peer review coordination and journal stewardship to digital preservation and metadata curation, these functions aren’t visible to most readers but are essential to ensuring that research remains discoverable, trusted, and citable in perpetuity.

In an evolving ecosystem with changing expectations, publishers are exploring models that balance openness with operational viability. This includes investing in technologies that enhance accessibility, supporting emerging research communities, and strengthening resilience against bad actors and misinformation. Sustainability, in this context, means keeping the system healthy—for readers, for researchers, and for the public good.