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Policy on Faculty and Preceptor Use of Generative AI in Research, Scholarship and Scholarly Writing

Policy

1.   Purpose and Philosophy

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI) offers immense potential to advance knowledge, accelerate data analysis and streamline the research and writing process. However, the use of these tools also introduces significant risks regarding data privacy, algorithmic bias, intellectual property and research integrity. This policy establishes a framework for the ethical, transparent and responsible use of AI in all research, creative activities, grant preparation and scholarly publishing at [Institution Name].

2. Authorship and Human Accountability

  • Prohibition of AI Authorship: Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, etc.) cannot be listed as authors or co-authors on academic publications, presentations or research posters. AI systems cannot fulfill the requirements of authorship because they cannot take public responsibility for the integrity of the work.

  • Human-in-the-Loop Validation: AI models are prone to "hallucinations" and can fabricate plausible-sounding but entirely false data and citations. The human researcher remains strictly accountable and responsible for the accuracy, validity and integrity of all AI-generated content used in their work.

3. Transparency, Disclosure, and Citation 

  • Mandatory Disclosure: Researchers must transparently disclose the use of generative AI in the methodology, acknowledgments or other appropriate sections of their manuscripts and grant proposals.

  • Record Keeping: To promote reproducibility and accountability, researchers are strongly encouraged to maintain records of the specific AI tools used, the prompts submitted and how the outputs were integrated into the research workflow.

  • Publisher and Funder Compliance: Researchers must verify and strictly adhere to the specific AI policies of their target journal publishers and funding agencies prior to submission.

4. Data Privacy, Security, and Intellectual Property

  • Protection of Sensitive Data: Researchers must never enter unpublished research data, proprietary institutional information, Protected Health Information or personally identifiable human subject data into unauthorized, public-facing generative AI tools. Entering such data into public models constitutes a severe breach of confidentiality.

  • Copyright and IP: AI-generated content may inadvertently infringe upon existing copyrights. Researchers are responsible for ensuring that their use of AI does not misappropriate the intellectual property of others.

5. Prohibition in Peer Review

  • Confidentiality Breach: The use of generative AI tools to evaluate, review or critique confidential materials—such as in the peer-review process for manuscripts or grant applications—is strictly prohibited. Uploading peer-review materials into an AI model violates the confidentiality agreements established by publishers and federal agencies.

6. Equity and Bias Mitigation

  • AI systems are trained on historical datasets that often contain societal biases. Researchers must actively seek to identify and mitigate bias in AI outputs and ensure that the deployment of AI in their research does not exacerbate inequalities or generate discriminatory outcomes.

7. Violations and Research Misconduct

  • Utilizing AI to fabricate or falsify data, or copying and pasting AI-generated text without proper citation and attribution, constitutes plagiarism and research misconduct. Suspected violations will be investigated under the [Institution Name] Institutional Policy on Misconduct in Research.

Sample Email for Rolling Out AI Policy

Subject: New Institutional Guidance: Responsible Use of AI in Research and Scholarship

Dear Researchers, Faculty and Graduate Students,

As generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies rapidly evolve, they present unprecedented opportunities to accelerate discovery, streamline data analysis and enhance our scholarly workflows. However, these tools also pose complex challenges regarding data security, intellectual property and scientific integrity.

To support our research community in safely navigating this new landscape, the Office of Research and Innovation is releasing the [Institution Name] Policy on the Use of Generative AI in Research, Scholarship and Scholarly Writing.

You can review the complete policy and associated best practices here: [Link to Policy].

Key Highlights for the Research Community:

  • Human Accountability: AI is a powerful assistant, but it cannot be credited as an author. You remain entirely responsible for the accuracy and originality of your work. You must rigorously fact-check all AI outputs, as these tools are known to occasionally fabricate data and citations.

  • Transparency is Required: If you use AI to assist in drafting manuscripts, analyzing data or writing grant proposals, you must clearly disclose its use in your submissions, adhering to the specific guidelines of your target publisher or funding agency.

  • Protecting Confidential Data: Never upload unpublished research findings, proprietary data or human subject data (including Protected Health Information) into public AI platforms like the free version of ChatGPT.

  • Peer Review Prohibition: In alignment with NIH and NSF directives, you may not use generative AI tools to assist in the peer review of confidential grant applications or manuscripts. Uploading someone else's unpublished work into an AI tool is a severe breach of confidentiality.

Support and Next Steps:

We want to empower you to use these tools innovatively and securely. The Office of Research will be hosting a virtual town hall on [Date/Time] titled "Navigating AI in the Research Lifecycle," where we will discuss these guidelines, demonstrate approved enterprise AI tools and answer your questions.

If you have specific questions regarding data security or the vetting of a new AI research tool, please reach out to the Institutional Review Board or IT Security at [Email Address].

Thank you for your dedication to upholding the highest standards of research integrity at [Institution Name].

Sincerely,

[Name] [Title, e.g., Vice President for Research / Provost] [Institution Name]