Responsible Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence for Research and Writing: Summarizing ICMJE Guideline

TL;DR

This letter summarizes ICMJE guidance on responsible use of generative AI in research and writing, arguing that AI writing assistants are ethical when used transparently and with human oversight. It presents author responsibilities in Table 1 and refers readers to Fig. 1 for common author queries and ICMJE-based replies.

Key findings

• The authors state that using AI as a writing assistant is “not unethical when employed responsibly and transparently,” and that it can enhance efficiency and manuscript quality without compromising research integrity.
• Generative AI can help with grammar and style corrections, language improvements, and generating initial drafts based on provided data; these functions are compared to traditional editorial assistance.
• Authors play the central role in responsible AI use. Table 1 lists eight responsibilities: selection, transparency, accuracy, plagiarism, bias, compliance, update, and oversight.
• The authors echo MDPI’s statement that “AI will become the norm, like how the Internet or Google are now.”

Methods

• This is a letter/commentary, not an empirical study; it summarizes the ICMJE guideline on AI use in research and writing.
• The paper presents a table of authors’ responsibilities and a figure on common author queries and replies according to ICMJE guidelines.
• No data collection, sample, or statistical analysis is reported.

Limitations

• The paper states no limitations.
• Evident from the text: it is a brief summary rather than a systematic review or original analysis, and the content of Fig. 1 is not reproduced in the provided text.
• Evident from the text: the recommendations rely on ICMJE and selected external sources, including MDPI, without empirical validation.