American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists releases guidance on AI use in publishing

Consensus statements emphasize accuracy, transparency

The American Association of Dental Editors and Journalists released guidance Jan. 23 on the use of generative artificial intelligence in dental publishing.

“Guidance for Authors, Editors and Publishers on the Use of Generative AI” includes 17 evidence-based consensus statements developed by a multidisciplinary stakeholder panel convened by the association and consisting of experts in dental editing, academia, publishing and law. The guidance document explains how generative AI tools function and examines the technical, legal and ethical risks their use may introduce, according to a news release from the association.

The document is available through ADA Commons, an open-access digital repository that provides dental organizations and ADA member researchers with opportunities to self-archive and distribute their research and information.

The guidance emphasizes the following three principles: preserving the author's authentic voice and substantive human contributions essential for copyrightability and ethical representation of authorship; ensuring content validity and accuracy through rigorous human oversight; and ensuring transparency through clear disclosure practices that enable editors, reviewers and readers to critically appraise the role of generative AI in the work, according to the document.

The document also includes a deskside tool that summarizes key statements, enabling publications to develop customized author guidelines and publication policies tailored to their specific needs.