Omnia Ali Mubarak
Doctoral Researcher Criminal Law Faculty of Law South Valley University Egypt
Artificial intelligence continues to amaze us by introducing cutting-edge technologies that enhance scientific research and boost productivity. Among these innovative technologies is the “Schobot” platform, an AI-powered tool designed to assist researchers in preparing research, whether for a master’s, doctoral degree, or other purposes. However, it is not a substitute for the researcher. Schobot’s platform targets a wide range of users, including university faculty members, graduate students, undergraduate students, lawyers for writing briefs, translation companies, and academic journals.
The first version of the Schobot platform was launched in early 2022, founded and managed by Dr. Mohamed Anas El-Baz. The concept of Schobot revolves around the challenges researchers face in compiling content from various available references in their specific fields, which are often written in multiple languages and come from numerous sources.
After identifying a research problem, crafting a title and plan, and gathering sources and references, researchers need to read and extract information, highlighting what is relevant to their research. They then need to employ this information in their research, crafting it in their own style and ensuring proper documentation. However, many researchers experience what is known as “research blockage” after collecting references and drafting a research plan, where they feel overwhelmed due to the abundance of references and the difficulty of handling them. Even the most capable researchers may find it challenging to continue writing, leading to long periods of inactivity, sometimes lasting up to two years or more.
Some researchers begin reading and gathering references only to find that this stage takes longer than expected, impacting their research timeline. This is where Schobot comes in, narrowing the research scope and deepening the focus on the topic, instead of being bogged down in repetitive readings that consume time and effort. With Schobot, researchers can increase their productivity and enrich their research with more references with less effort and time, by filtering out duplicates and providing guidance in selecting appropriate references. It serves as a smart assistant within the references uploaded by the researcher and is trained to handle Arabic, English, and French languages.
The Schobot platform also allows researchers to create email accounts on the platform and offers a free trial of up to 80 pages as a gift to researchers. For those who wish to benefit further, the platform offers paid plans starting at $25, providing additional services and features according to the researcher’s needs and requirements.