Last updated: March 2, 2025
As AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini become integral to academic workflows, the Montreal AI Ethics Institute (MAIEI) establishes the following guidelines for AI-assisted submissions to our publication platforms.
At MAIEI, our mission centers on advancing thoughtful, rigorous discourse on AI ethics, governance, and responsible innovation. This mission demands transparency, integrity, and meaningful intellectual contribution as core values underpinning all work published under our banner.
1. Mandatory Disclosure Requirements
MAIEI requires explicit disclosure of any AI tool usage in developing submissions such as research summaries, op-eds, original essays, and more. Contributors must specify:
- The specific AI tools employed
- The precise functions for which they were used (e.g., editing, literature review, argument formulation)
- The extent of AI-generated content in the final submission
- The prompt methodology used to generate relevant content
This transparency enables readers to properly contextualize findings and maintains the credibility of academic discourse.
2. Standards for Intellectual Contribution
While AI tools may support the research and writing process, all submissions must demonstrate substantive intellectual contribution from human authors. This includes:
- Original analysis and critical perspectives not derivable from AI prompting alone
- Thoughtful engagement with nuanced ethical considerations
- Clear articulation of ideas reflecting the author’s unique expertise and reasoning
Submissions where AI tools generate the core intellectual contribution will not be accepted, as this undermines our commitment to human-centered ethical discourse.
3. Appropriate Use Guidelines
Acceptable applications of AI tools include:
- Grammar, style, and readability enhancements
- Initial ideation and outline development (with substantial human refinement)
- Literature summarization (with proper attribution and critical assessment)
- Translation assistance (with human verification)
Unacceptable uses include:
- Generating substantive arguments, frameworks, or conclusions without significant human intervention
- Misrepresenting AI-generated content as original human thought
- Using AI to bypass rigorous engagement with complex ethical issues
- Failing to verify factual claims generated by AI systems
4. Editorial Review Process
All submissions will undergo screening for undisclosed AI usage. For accepted AI-assisted submissions, MAIEI will append an Editor’s Note that:
- Specifies the nature and extent of AI contribution
- Contextualizes how the submission meets our intellectual standards
- Contributes to ongoing discourse about responsible AI usage in research
5. Evolving Standards in AI-Assisted Research
MAIEI recognizes that norms around AI-assisted scholarship are rapidly evolving. We commit to:
- Regularly updating these guidelines as AI capabilities advance
- Hosting forums for community discussion on responsible AI research practices
- Developing frameworks for distinguishing between AI-as-tool and AI-as-collaborator
We actively seek feedback from contributors, readers, and partners as we refine these standards. Our goal remains balancing technological innovation with the integrity of human intellectual contribution that advances AI ethics.
MAIEI evaluates AI-assisted submissions based on transparency, originality, and intellectual rigor. As leaders in AI ethics, we aim to model responsible engagement with these technologies while maintaining the highest standards of scholarly discourse. All submissions involving AI tools will undergo review against these criteria.
For questions regarding this editorial stance, please contact us at [email protected].