Springer Nature's Open Access report 2023 reveals it is 'investing strongly' in technology and AI

Academic publisher Springer Nature has revealed that almost half of its journal research is Open Access (OA) and that it published 918 OA books last year.

Springer published more than 183,000 OA articles in 2023, meaning a total of 44% of its publications were free of charge, up from 38% in 2022. It is targeting 50% in 2024.

The publisher’s third Open Access report showed the total number of OA books published since the launch of its book programme in 2013 stands at 3,130 – almost a third of which were published last year.

OA means articles or books can be made immediately available online when published and are free, rather than only available to subscribers or institutions.

Springer Nature supports authors from more than 200 countries to publish OA in 600-plus fully OA and 2,100-plus hybrid journals, including the science journals, Nature and its Scientific Reports. 

More people are reading Springer Nature journals and books year-on-year, with data showing an over 20% increase in downloads for OA book and journal content in 2023. 

Carrie Webster, vice-president, Open Access at Springer Nature, said: “We’re investing strongly in technology and AI, with a particular focus on making the research process and publishing easier for authors, while also ensuring we continue to protect the integrity and trust of research.

“We are also building our OA teams, especially in China and India, to reflect the growth in research outputs in these countries, and continue to work closely with institutions and funders globally to make the transition affordable, simple and scalable.

“We remain committed to growing OA in a responsible, equitable way, and at a pace that ensures our authors and community feel supported, and allows us all to maintain the high standards and impact of our trusted brands.”

Springer Nature said it is using “the latest technologies, including AI, to identify unethical behaviour”. In 2023, it launched Geppetto, an AI-enabled tool that trawls submissions across its journals “for indicators of suspicious text”. 

Springer Nature has also started testing SnappShot, which screens for manipulated images, and it has a “close relationship” with Slimmer AI, having acquired its science division to expand its "existing in-house expertise and safeguard integrity by automating checks for plagiarism.”

The publisher said it will continue to add to its "toolbox of AI-powered solutions that are helping to advance discovery, promote equity and protect integrity.”

In a bid to "support equity in OA", last year Springer Nature expanded its transformative agreements (TAs) into Africa and the Americas, waiving €26m of Article Processing Charges (APCs) in fully OA journals and enabling authors from low-income and low- and middle-income countries to publish in Nature and its research journals at no cost.