The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into medical writing has introduced a severe threat to research integrity: citation pollution. A recent audit indicates that fabricated citations have increased 12 times since 2023. While the publishing industry focuses on developing tools to catch these errors, this article explores the underlying ethical implications of using AI as a shortcut. Relying entirely on AI-generated summaries creates an illusion of comprehension, strip ping away the critical engagement and associated knowledge necessary for scientific advancement. Although automated verifi cation tools are becoming essential to manage the massive volume of modern literature, they cannot replace the traditional cognitive work of the author. This paper asserts that maintaining the human touch, where authors act as critical readers who manually verify evidence, is an urgent professional necessity. Ultimately, AI must remain a collaborative partner, not a replacement for human rigour and passion.