Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming orthopedic research by optimizing academic workflows, improving evidence synthesis, and expanding access to advanced data analysis tools. Generative AI models such as ChatGPT and GPT-4, alongside specialized platforms such as Consensus and SciSpace, empower researchers to refine search queries, enhance literature reviews, synthesize documents, and conduct advanced statistical analyses. These technologies enable the interpretation of large datasets, saving time and boosting efficiency. For orthopedic residents, AI is particularly impactful, revolutionizing their education and fostering greater independence in research. This review explores the key applications of AI as a research assistant in orthopedics, as well as its ethical considerations and challenges.