To Use or Not to Use - That Is the Question: AI Use In Manuscript Publication Pipeline for Social Work Journals

The growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the manuscript publication pipeline raises important questions about transparency, accountability, ownership of knowledge, and the production of social work research. AI tools are already in use in many stages of the research process, including language editing, summarization, coding, and, in some cases, for conceptualization, design, and analysis. However, AI tool utilization is unevenly disclosed, if at all. This lack of consistency creates challenges for reviewers and editors, who are asked to evaluate work without full visibility into how it was produced. Knowing how AI was used helps readers, reviewers, and editors understand potential biases, limitations, or errors. Additionally, without disclosure, parts of the research process become invisible and harder to evaluate or replicate. In parallel, using AI in the review process remains heavily restricted and, in some instances, outright prohibited for reviewers and editors.

Emerging norms around AI use in the production of social work research remain unclear. Many editors, authors, and reviewers are uncertain about what constitutes fair use or appropriate disclosure, even when publishers ask authors to make disclosure statements. A lack of commonly accepted practices has led to ambiguity, confusion, and frustration among authors, editors, and reviewers. Further, stigma associated with AI-assisted writing and fears that disclosure could have negative consequences such as the increasing likelihood of manuscript rejection discourages transparent disclosure. As a result, a gap is developing between actual research practices and what is formally reported in manuscript submissions.

This roundtable will explore how the field of social work might move toward clear and consistent norms for AI use and disclosure, with special attention to implications for fairness and the integrity of how scientific knowledge is produced and shared. The purpose of this roundtable is not to advocate for or against AI use, but to clarify what responsible and transparent use might look like in the context of social work research. The discussion will focus on four interrelated questions: (1) What forms of AI use should be disclosed in journal submission, and why? (2) How are current editorial policies shaping or failing to shape author behavior? (3) What ethical considerations should guide the development of field-wide norms? (4) What resources currently exist to assist all stakeholders in the knowledge production process to clarify these questions?

The panel is intentionally structured to reflect multiple perspectives within academia. Two journal editors will speak about the challenges of evaluating AI-assisted manuscripts, the development of disclosure policies, and concerns about peer-review integrity. An early career researcher will reflect on how AI tools are being used, including the pressures and ambiguities faced by scholars. An AI ethics-focused scholar will situate these issues within broader conversations about responsibility, equity, and the potential for AI to reproduce or obscure bias in knowledge production. Each participant will offer brief opening remarks, followed by a guided discussion among panelists and active engagement with the audience. This format is designed to encourage dialogue, hear points of disagreements, and generate potential guidelines relevant to researchers, reviewers, and editors.