Open Library of Humanities publishes community-informed AI policy
The Open Library of Humanities (OLH) has published a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy following a consultation process lasting more than a year with its journals’ editorial teams.
The policy sets out OLH’s position that the responsible and transparent use of generative AI is essential to maintaining research integrity in academic publishing. Under the policy, authors will be required to declare substantial and known uses of generative AI that form part of the research underpinning a submitted article.
OLH’s Managing Editor, Dr Simon Everett, who led the consultation, research, and drafting process, said: “At the OLH, it’s been imperative for us to respond to the use of generative AI in the scholarly publishing process. Generative AI has become ubiquitous, often seamlessly integrated into many applications for a wide range of purposes, with users not always aware that they are using generative AI-assisted software. Generative AI can provide an opportunity to assist with myriad aspects of academic research while also presenting a major threat to research integrity and ethical best practice in scholarly publishing if it is abused.”
He added: “Our community-informed, humanities-focussed AI policy provides much needed guidance for authors, editors, and others involved in open access academic publishing where there is currently very little legal guidance.
OLH’s Editorial Director, Dr Rose Harris-Birtill, emphasised the organisation’s intention to share its work openly with the wider scholarly community. She said: “We’re keen to share news of OLH’s AI Policy work to help the wider scholarly community, in line with our core values of openness and inclusivity. Written and researched following extensive consultation with our editors, it is our hope that this policy will help to give much-needed practical guidance to the academic community as we navigate the rapidly-evolving technological developments and challenges presented by AI.
“While the policy highlights the need for caution in the use of generative AI in academic research and publishing, OLH has also sought to recognise its potential to support equity and accessibility, including for researchers with disabilities.”
OLH has stated that the policy will be monitored closely in the coming months and treated as a living document, evolving in response to changes in generative AI technologies and their adoption within scholarly communication.