AI in academic writing: what publishers ask of authors
Major publishers and research ethics bodies agree on two points: a language model cannot be listed as an author, because it cannot take responsibility, and its use has to be described in the work. Language editing is usually judged more leniently than generating content, but it is normally still declared. The exact wording differs from journal to journal, so author guidelines are read before writing, not after.
Authorship means accountability
An author vouches for the data, the conclusions and the originality of the work. A model can vouch for none of it, so it is not listed among the authors.
For the same reason it does not belong in the reference list. You cite the source the information actually comes from.
What to put in the statement
A few sentences will do: which tool, for which part of the work, and what the human did with the output. A generic line about using AI helps nobody.
If the model helped with language, say so. If it generated text or code that stayed in the work, state that separately.
Where the line usually sits
Proofreading, translation and smoothing out phrasing are usually acceptable. Generating results, the discussion or whole passages is not.
In peer review the rule points the other way: pasting someone else's unpublished manuscript into a chat is a breach of confidentiality.
FAQ
Will the editorial office catch AI use with a detector?
Some do run tools, but they decide on the content and on the authors' statement. A score alone does not reject a manuscript.
Do I have to declare proofreading too?
Most guidelines ask for it, even though they judge it leniently. Declaring costs nothing; staying silent can cost the manuscript.
Can I use a model for literature search?
As a signpost yes, as a source no. Every figure and citation has to be checked in the original — invented citations are common with models.
Try it on your own text
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