In April 2024, the BMJ Group introduced a mandatory policy requiring submitting authors to disclose and describe their use of artificial intelligence (AI) in research manuscripts. This initiative aimed to increase transparency in academic publishing as surveys indicate that 50% to 76% of researchers now employ AI tools in their work.
A comprehensive analysis was conducted on manuscripts submitted to 49 BMJ Group biomedical journals following the implementation of the policy. The study examined the frequency of self-disclosed AI use, the types of AI tools utilized, and the specific tasks they assisted with. Additionally, the characteristics of manuscripts that disclosed AI use were compared with those that did not.
The findings were presented at the 10th Peer Review Congress in September 2025, highlighting the growing integration of AI in the research process. This data sheds light on how AI is reshaping scholarly communication and the importance of disclosure standards to maintain integrity in peer review.