Using AI tools honestly

AI writing tools can help with research writing. They can also get you into serious trouble. The rules are becoming clear.

What major bodies say

• AI can't be an author. Authors must take responsibility for the work, and an AI tool can't. Nature, Science, COPE (the Committee on Publication Ethics) and the ICMJE all say this.
• Disclose use. Many journals ask you to state which tools you used and how, usually in the methods or acknowledgements. Some exempt simple grammar and spelling help.
• You're responsible for everything in the paper, including anything a tool wrote.

Policies differ by venue and change often. Always read your target venue's current policy.

Real risks

• Invented references. Language models can produce citations that look real but don't exist. Check every reference against the actual paper.
• Wrong facts stated confidently. Verify every claim and number.
• Your voice and thinking disappear. If a tool writes the argument, it's no longer your understanding.
• Confidentiality. Pasting unpublished data or a paper you're reviewing into an online tool may break confidentiality rules.

Reasonable uses (if your venue allows)

• Checking grammar and clarity of text you wrote.
• Suggesting shorter phrasings that you then judge.
• Explaining a concept you then verify in real sources.

Write it down

Keep a note of what you used AI for. If asked, you can answer precisely.

RememberTools can help, but you're the author: verify every fact and reference, protect confidential material, and disclose what you used.