Generative Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT utilize large language models (LLMs) to generate unique text- or image-based responses to user prompts. These tools “generate” new content by referring to the data they have been trained on.

There are several important factors to consider when using these tools such as confidentiality, data privacy, compliance, copyright and research integrity.

This page aims to provide UMass Lowell researchers with basic guidance, information and resources on the use of AI in their research writing. 

Writing Research Manuscripts

Many academic publishers have policies concerning the use of generative AI when writing and/or developing research manuscripts. Publisher-specific guidelines related to using, citing, disclosing and acknowledging AI tools should be closely reviewed and followed.

Grant Writing

Many funders permit the use of generative AI in grant preparation, but their policies generally emphasize transparency and disclosure rather than prohibition. For example:

  • National Science Foundation encourages applicants to indicate in the project description the extent to which, in any, generative AI technology was used to develop their proposal.
  • National Institutes of Health will be employing AI detection technology and will not consider applications that are either substantially developed by AI or contain sections substantially developed by AI.
  • National Endowment for the Humanities requires applicants to identify any AI-generated text through the use of footnotes or other marginal notations.
  • NASA Science Mission Directorate states that generative AI must be cited in the References section if it is used in the preparation of proposals or progress reporting to NASA.

Peer Review

The general consensus among publishers and grant-making agencies is that grant applications and submitted manuscripts should never be loaded into generative AI tools to produce review reports. Doing so may expose sensitive information or intellectual property to others because this information has now become part of the tool’s training data.

The National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation have also adopted strategies which outline their agency’s vision, goals, and priorities for the development and use of AI technologies in research that ensure alignment and compliance with federal mandates and scientific integrity. 

Examples of Publishers' AI Policies