ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Comput. Sci.
Sec. Human-Media Interaction
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcomp.2025.1608276
AI at the Knowledge Gates: Institutional Policies and Hybrid Configurations in Universities and Publishers
Provisionally accepted
- 1University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
- 2Technical University of Moldova, Chișinău, Moldova
- 3Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
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Introduction: This study examines how academic institutions conceptualize and regulate artificial intelligence in knowledge production, focusing on institutional strategies for managing technological disruption while preserving academic values. Methods: Using boundary work theory and actor-network approaches, we conducted qualitative content analysis of AI policies from 16 prestigious universities and 12 major publishers. We introduced analytical concepts of dual black-boxing and legitimacy-dependent hybrid actors to explore institutional responses to AI integration. Results: Institutions primarily address AI’s opacity through transparency requirements, focusing on usage pattern visibility. Boundary-making strategies include categorical distinctions, authority allocation, and process-oriented boundaries that allow AI contributions while restricting final product generation. Universities demonstrated a more flexible recognition of hybrid actors compared to publishers’ stricter authorship boundaries. Discussion: The study discusses how established knowledge institutions navigate technological change by adapting existing academic practices. Institutions maintain human authority through delegated accountability, showing a diversified approach to integrating AI while preserving core academic integrity principles.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, Generative AI, academic integrity, Boundary work, Higher education policy, academic publishing, Hybrid actors, Knowledge production
Received: 08 Apr 2025; Accepted: 30 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Rughiniș, Vulpe, Țurcanu and Rughiniș. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Simona Nicoleta Vulpe, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, 050107, Bucharest, Romania
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.