Elsevier AI Guidelines

Policy Summary

Elsevier allows authors to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies to refine and edit manuscripts prior to submission, provided this use occurs with appropriate oversight and disclosure. Authors who use these tools must include a required declaration statement at the end of the manuscript immediately above the references or bibliography; however, basic checks of grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not require a declaration. These tools must not be used as a substitute for human critical thinking, and authors remain responsible and accountable for the work, including reviewing and editing the content as needed after using the tool.

Evidence

• Authors are allowed to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the manuscript preparation process before submission, but only with appropriate oversight and disclosure, as per our instructions in Elsevier’s Guide for Authors. These tools must never be used as a substitute for human critical thinking, expertise and evaluation. AI Tools should always be applied with human oversight and control. Ultimately, authors are responsible and accountable for the contents of their work. Authors who have used generative AI or AI-assisted tools must insert a statement at the end of their manuscript immediately above the references or bibliography entitled ‘Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process’. Basic checks of grammar, spelling and punctuation need no declaration. During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier

Policy Summary

Elsevier allows authors to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies to help prepare a manuscript prior to submission, provided this use is accompanied by appropriate oversight and disclosure. These tools must not replace authors’ critical thinking and evaluation, and authors remain responsible and accountable for the content, including reviewing and editing AI-assisted output as needed. Upon submission, authors should disclose their use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in a separate declaration statement.

Evidence

• Elsevier’s AI author policy states that authors are allowed to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the manuscript preparation process before submission, but only with appropriate oversight and disclosure, as per our instructions in Elsevier’s Guide for Authors. These tools must never be used as a substitute for human critical thinking, expertise and evaluation. AI Tools should always be applied with human oversight and control. Ultimately, authors are responsible and accountable for the contents of their work. Upon submission of their manuscript, authors should disclose the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in a separate declaration statement. During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier

Policy Summary

Elsevier permits authors to use generative AI to translate manuscript text as part of improving the language and readability of their paper. Authors must review and edit any AI-assisted translation output, because they remain responsible and accountable for the manuscript’s content. Authors are required to disclose the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the manuscript.

Evidence

• Specifically, authors can use generative AI to help with language editing, translation or to suggest improvements to grammar. The authors must review and edit the output and are ultimately responsible and accountable for the content of the manuscript. Authors are required to disclose their use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in their manuscript.

Source

• https://researcheracademy.elsevier.com/writing-research/fundamentals-manuscript-preparation/generative-ai-qa

Policy Summary

Elsevier's writing policy does not prevent the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools in formal research design or research methods, including uses related to processing or refining data. When generative AI or AI-assisted tools are used in this context, they should be described as part of the methodology of the work, with details provided in the Methods section, if relevant, or in a separate section preceding references or bibliography. Authors are responsible and accountable for the contents of their work.

Evidence

• This policy does not prevent the use of generative AI and AI-assisted tools in formal research design or research methods. We recognize that the use of such technology is common in many fields. Where generative AI or AI-assisted tools are used in this context, they should be described as part of the methodology of the work, with details provided in the Methods section, if relevant, or in a separate section preceding references or bibliography. These tools must never be used as a substitute for human critical thinking, expertise and evaluation. Ultimately, authors are responsible and accountable for the contents of their work.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier
• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/generative-ai-policies-for-journals

Policy Summary

Elsevier does not permit the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts or other submitted works, including actions such as enhancing, obscuring, moving, removing, or introducing specific features. Limited, non-AI adjustments for clarity (e.g., brightness, contrast, or color balance) are acceptable only when they do not obscure or eliminate information or change the meaning of the image. The only exception is when AI-assisted image creation or alteration is part of the research design or research methods, in which case its use must be described in a reproducible manner in the methods section, including specified tool details. The policy does not specify human review requirements for this classification.

Evidence

• Elsevier does not permit the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts. This may include enhancing, obscuring, moving, removing, or introducing a specific feature within an image or figure. Adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable if they do not obscure or eliminate any information present in the original. The only exception is if the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools is part of the research design or research methods (such as in AI-assisted imaging approaches to generate or interpret the underlying research data, for example in the field of biomedical imaging). If this is done, such use must be described in a reproducible manner in the methods section. This should include an explanation of how the generative AI or AI-assisted tools were used in the image creation or alteration process, and the name of the model or tool, version and extension numbers, and manufacturer. No, we do not permit the use of AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted works (which include chapters, introductions, forewords, covers, etc.). It is not acceptable to enhance, obscure, move, remove, or introduce a specific feature within an image. Manipulating images for improved clarity is accepted and adjustments of brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable if they do not alter the meaning of the image, but manipulation for other purposes could be seen as conflicting with scientific and ethical principles.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier

Policy Summary

Elsevier does not permit the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts, including changes that enhance, obscure, move, remove, or introduce specific features within an image or figure. The only exception is when generative AI or AI-assisted tools are used as part of the research design or research methods; in that case, the use must be described in a reproducible manner in the methods section, including how the tools were used and the relevant tool/model identification details. The policy does not specify human review requirements for this classification.

Evidence

• Elsevier does not permit the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts. This may include enhancing, obscuring, moving, removing, or introducing a specific feature within an image or figure. The only exception is if the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools is part of the research design or research methods (such as in AI-assisted imaging approaches to generate or interpret the underlying research data, for example in the field of biomedical imaging). If this is done, such use must be described in a reproducible manner in the methods section. This should include an explanation of how the generative AI or AI-assisted tools were used in the image creation or alteration process, and the name of the model or tool, version and extension numbers, and manufacturer.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/generative-ai-policies-for-journals

Policy Summary

Elsevier permits authors to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process only to improve the language and readability of their paper, which can include improving the clarity and formatting of code presented in the manuscript. These technologies should not be used to replace key researcher tasks such as producing scientific insights, analyzing and interpreting data, or drawing scientific conclusions. Use of the technology should be done with human oversight and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the output; authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the work’s contents. Authors are required to disclose their use of these technologies in the manuscript by adding a statement at the end of the core manuscript file before the References.

Evidence

• Where authors use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, these technologies should only be used to improve the language and readability of their paper and not to replace key researcher tasks such as producing scientific insights, analyzing and interpreting data or drawing scientific conclusions. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control and authors should carefully review and edit the result, as AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete or biased. The authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work. Authors are required to disclose their use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process by adding a statement at the end of their manuscript, in the core manuscript file, before the References.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier

Policy Summary

Elsevier permits authors to use AI tools to help organize literature and suggest sources, but authors should carefully review and verify AI-generated output because references and citations can be incorrect, hallucinated, or fabricated. If an AI tool is used to select, collate, generate, or edit references, this should be noted in the methods section or declaration, as applicable. The policy does not cover reference managers that enable authors to collect, organize, annotate, and use references (such as Mendeley, EndNote, and Zotero), and these tools can be used without disclosure.

Evidence

• Yes, authors can use AI tools to help organize literature and suggest sources. However, authors should carefully review and verify the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and impartiality of all AI-generated output. Authors should always check sources, as AI-generated references and citations can be incorrect, hallucinated, or fabricated. If these or any AI tool was used to select, collate, generate or edit references, this should be noted in the methods section or declaration as applicable. In addition, the policy does not cover reference managers that enable authors to collect, organize, annotate, and use references to scholarly articles – such as Mendeley, EndNote, Zotero and others. These tools can be used by authors without disclosure.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier

Policy Summary

Elsevier requires authors to disclose the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies for manuscript preparation in a separate AI declaration statement upon submission, except that basic checks of grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not need a declaration. These technologies must never be used as a substitute for human critical thinking, and authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of their work. Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies should not be used to create, alter, or manipulate any images, figures, or data in a way that could be misleading.

Evidence

• Authors should disclose the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies for manuscript preparation in a separate AI declaration statement upon submission. Basic checks of grammar, spelling and punctuation need no declaration. These tools must never be used as a substitute for human critical thinking, expertise and evaluation. Ultimately, authors are responsible and accountable for the contents of their work. Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies should not be used to create, alter or manipulate any images, figures, or data in a way that could be misleading.

Source

• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/the-use-of-generative-ai-and-ai-assisted-technologies-in-writing-for-elsevier
• https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/generative-ai-policies-for-journals