Research Software Auditing
Research Software Auditing: Knowledge exchange in the age of AI-assisted programming
The adoption of AI-assisted programming tools is changing how researchers develop research software. Many code editors now integrate AI tools directly into coding workflows, lowering the barrier to producing software quickly. However, researchers who use these tools may not always have the expertise to critically assess the quality, efficiency, reproducibility, or sustainability of AI-assisted code. The aim of this fellowship is to develop a framework called “research software auditing” focused specifically on AI-assisted research software. This idea emerged from round-table discussions on “GenAI competency/ skills matrix and gap analysis in research software” at the Digital Research Infrastructure (DRI) Retreat 2026. The fellowship will explore how this challenge can be addressed by embedding lightweight auditing and guidance into the existing researcher support workflows.