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Academic writing, publishing and peer review

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is increasingly used in research output preparation, publishing, and dissemination. Publishers and journals are actively developing policies governing their appropriate use.

Read more detailed information on the use of AI in developing research outputs (staff only), and always consult with publisher/journal policies.

Read some example use cases of using GAI below.

Writing and output development

  • Drafting outlines or structuring manuscripts
  • Improving clarity, grammar, and readability
  • Summarising literature and drafting abstracts
  • Formatting references
  • Creating figures, schematics, or visual summaries.

Publishing process

  • Identifying suitable journals or publishers for a research output
  • Drafting cover letters and standard forms
  • Reformatting for journal submission
  • Ensuring compliance with publisher author guidelines
  • Supporting responses to reviewer comments.

Peer review of research outputs

  • Reviewer identification or allocation processes (by publishers and editors)
  • Checking for clarity or coherence in review reports and in responses to reviewers
  • Identifying potential manipulation or plagiarism (by publishers and editors).

The use of GAI tools to conduct peer review on research outputs is generally considered inappropriate and is restricted or prohibited under many publisher policies (see below). Peer review largely remains a human-led process.

Sharing and dissemination

  • Stakeholder identification
  • Translating research into accessible formats
  • Presentation creation.

Policy and governance considerations

Most publishers prohibit listing AI tools as authors, and many require disclosure of AI use in manuscript preparation. Authors retain full responsibility for submitted content.

  • The ‘Big 5’ publishers each have policies on AI use in manuscript preparation and peer review:
  • Peer reviewers must not upload confidential manuscripts or unpublished data into public AI systems
  • See the COPE guidance on publication ethics, authorship and AI tools.