Be transparent
Inform yourself: Human oversight in AI-assisted research
This principle is part of the BE WISE framework of human oversight in AI-assisted research. Together, the six principles define how researchers retain responsibility when using AI tools, by using active judgement, documentation, transparency, and ethical care.
Here, we focus on what it means to inform yourself in practice.
Why it's needed:
AI technologies evolve rapidly, and so do the ethical, legal, and governance standards that guide their use. Outdated knowledge increases the risk of unintentional misuse or non-compliance with emerging policies.
Inform yourself: best practice
Engage in continuous learning about new AI tools, updates, and ethical standards.
Participate in available institutional or publisher training.
Consult Frontiers’ living guidelines for responsible AI use regularly for up-to-date guidance.
Read journal and editorial policies on AI before submitting.
Read relevant organizations’ policies on AI use.
Sources to bookmark:
COPE guidance on authorship and AI tools (baseline community consensus)
Publisher/journal AI guidance pages (Frontiers and any journal you submit to)
Institution/funder guidance (your university, IRB/ethics board, UKRI/NIH/etc. where relevant)
Tool documentation and release notes for your primary AI tools (and explicit ‘data use’ / ‘privacy’ pages)
Standards and reporting guidelines relevant to your field (e.g. CONSORT, PRISMA, STROBE, ARRIVE) - and any AI-specific reporting add-ons that emerge
