The next step for the arXiv

The axXiv has become a standard place to put up pre-prints of journal papers. This is great with increased availability and distribution speed. But, it could be taken one further step. Add an automated peer-review process to the papers, and the system is ready to completely replace the blood-sucking bandits of publishing houses. This is money the science community can use better, and we are anyway doing all the work: the research, the paper writing, the peer-review. We could be adults and take full responsibility for the whole process and improve quality the same time.

So, my proposal: develop a review AI that does the first screening, checking things like language, style consistency and formalities such as affiliation, contact information and plagiarism. Next, the system can propose reviewers together with the authors. The system can also propose an editor that can do the work of the editor on a per-paper bases.