Editor Briefings Updated Elsevier policy on generative AI for journals You are receiving this message given your role as an editor of an Elsevier journal. If you believe you have received this in error, please contact us. Elsevier has updated its generative AI policies for journals. Driven by the rapid adoption of AI across the research community, this update ensures our policies remain clear, practical, and aligned with the external landscape, while upholding our standards of research integrity and confidentiality. What this means for editors and reviewers - * The updated policy gives journal editors and reviewers clearer guidance on how generative AI tools can be used to support parts of their work. Private AI tools can help with practical tasks such as improving the language or structure of decision letters and review reports, and supporting background literature searches, helping make some parts of the process more efficient and consistent.
- * When reviewers use AI to improve the language or content structure of their review report, they should disclose this, including the tool used and purpose. For editors, journals will inform authors that AI tools may be used in a supportive capacity via the Guide for Authors and EM.
- When reviewers use AI to improve the language or content structure of their review report, they should disclose this, including the tool used and purpose. For editors, journals will inform authors that AI tools may be used in a supportive capacity via the Guide for Authors and EM.
What stays essential Editorial judgement, peer review and decisions remain human responsibilities. Editors and reviewers must not upload or copy and paste unpublished manuscripts, or parts of manuscripts, into AI tools, as doing so may compromise confidentiality, author rights, or data privacy where personal information is involved. What this means for authors - * Authors may already use AI tools to support textual journal manuscript preparation, and the updated policy gives guidance on how to use AI tools to create certain types of figures, images and artwork.
- * Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of everything they submit. AI can support the process, but it does not replace authorship, critical thinking, or accountability.
- * Authors must disclose relevant AI use in journal manuscript preparation through a separate AI declaration statement at submission, identifying the tool used and the purpose of use. Basic spelling, grammar and punctuation checks do not need to be declared. Where AI is used for images, authors should also disclose that use in the image caption and in the article’s general AI disclosure statement.
The aim of this update is to give clearer guidance as AI tools evolve, while protecting trust in scholarly publishing. Elsevier will continue to keep the policy under review as practice and technology develop. Should you have any questions about our policy, please reach out to your usual publishing contact within Elsevier. Best regards, Laura Hassink
Managing Director, Elsevier Science, Technology & Medicine Journals |
