Editor-in-Chief
The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care 2025, Vol. 51(6) 545–546 © The Author(s) 2025 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/26350106251397460 journals.sagepub.com/home/tde
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a rapidly expanding topic, with a notable lack of understanding and many unanswered questions. It can be considered a broad field of computer science and an emerging technology where computers perform tasks using large language models (LLMs) that generate text resembling what a person might write. The use of LLMs, sometimes referred to as smart machines, aims to make computers smarter and more intelligent, equipping them with the ability to think and perform cognitive functions such as learning, planning, problemsolving, decision-making, and prediction.1 Living in a highly technological age, there is an increasing number of ‘machines’ replacing human labor in various fields. The concern going forward is the replacement of human resources by machine intelligence. The introduction of computing power, algorithms, data mining, interconnectivity, and smart automation is causing tremendous changes across all industries with implications for all disciplines and fields of study.1 With the widespread use of AI technologies impacting our lives, the focus of this editorial is on AI in journal publishing.
Let us begin by making a distinction between Assistive AI and Generative AI tools. Assistive AI tools utilize content authored by a person, which is then inputted into a computer system (program) where suggestions, corrections, and improvements are made to the existing content. Tools like Microsoft Word, Grammarly, Jenni AI, and ProWritingAid correct spelling and grammatical errors, along with improving clarity. Content produced by an author but refined or improved with the help of these kinds of tools is termed “AI-assisted.” While AI-assistive tools are helpful for tasks such as paraphrasing, grammar checking, and summarization, their use could impact one’s writing ability, as well as the development of creative thinking skills.
Generative AI tools involve the computer system (program) producing original content, such as written text or images. With the advent of LLMs, generative models have become more complex and capable of handling multifaceted analyses of word sequences in massive text databases through a sophisticated probability model.2 Generative AI can locate, identify, extract, and easily synthesize data. Tools like ChatGPT, Writefull, and DeepL provide feedback on grammar, syntax, and stylistic clarity, along with the ability to generate text (create content), summarize (shorten long pieces of text), and manage multimodal input (process and generate responses based on text). A major challenge with generative AI tools is the potential for inaccurate AI-generated context.
With many unanswered questions surrounding AI in journal publishing, such as risks, algorithmic bias, and potential over-reliance on generative AI, authors should follow key recommendations when authoring scholarly articles. First, AI tools do not diminish an author’s responsibility; all content must be owned and verified by the named authors, regardless of how it was created.3,4 Second, authors must clearly disclose and be transparent about any use of generative AI tools in preparing manuscripts.3,4 Use of AI to generate text, images, tables, or figures must be reported, typically in the acknowledgements section, along with the software’s name, version, dates of use, and how it was used.5 Third, review all text for accuracy and appropriate content. Authors must evaluate terminology, conceptual framing, and references to avoid bias or errors, and check that generated content does not plagiarize others’ work.3,4 Hallas6 asks an essential question about whether authors can trust submissions that use generative AI, like ChatGPT. Again, it is the author’s responsibility to carefully verify the accuracy of information and references, ensuring the highest standards in disseminating information and maintaining trust at the forefront. Finally, AI cannot be listed as an author. AI does not meet the criteria for authorship and cannot assume legal or ethical responsibility for the work it produces.3,4
The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) is a global organization dedicated to promoting integrity and ethical practices in scholarly publishing among editors and publishers. COPE provides advice, resources, and a forum for discussing ethical issues to help members navigate problems like misconduct, conflicts of interest, and plagiarism. COPE's position statement on Authorship and AI tools states that “AI tools cannot meet the requirements for authorship as they cannot take responsibility for the submitted work. Authors who use AI tools in writing a manuscript or in creating images or graphical elements must transparently disclose this use in the Materials and Methods section of the paper, specifying which AI tool was used and how it contributed to the work.”7
The Science of Diabetes Self-Management and Care is a member of COPE. As a Sage journal, we are committed to upholding high ethical standards in journal publishing and maintaining integrity, transparency, and fairness for all parties involved: authors, peer reviewers, and readers. Authors should carefully review and adhere to the Publication Ethics Policies and AI Policy for Authors.8 As the landscape of AI in journal publishing continues to evolve, we will revisit the use of generative AI tools and their contribution to the publication process.
Sarker IH. AI-based modeling: techniques, applications and research issues towards automation, intelligent and smart systems. SN Comput Sci. 2022;3:158. doi:10.1007/s42979-022-01043-x
Schrager S, Seehusen DA, Sexton DM, et al. Use of AI in family medicine publications: a joint editorial from journal editors. PRiMER. 2025;9:3 doi:10.22454/PRiMER.2025,889328
Oermann MH. Using AI to write scholarly articles in nursing. Nurse Educ. 2024;49(1):52. doi:10.1097/NNE.0000000000001577
Frangou S, Volpe U, Fiorillo A. AI in scientific writing and publishing: a call for critical engagement. Eur Psychiatry. 2025;68(1):e98. doi:10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.10061
Flanagin A, Pirracchio R, Khera R, Berkwits M, Hswen Y, Bibbins-Domingo K. Reporting use of AI in research and scholarly pulication – JAMA network guidance. JAMA. 2024;331(13):1096-1098. doi:10.1001/jama.2024.3471
Hallas D. Artificial intelligence and nursing: it’s all about trust. J Pediatr Health Care. 2023;37(5):461-462. doi:10.1016/j. pedhc.2023.06.004
Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). COPE position statement: authorship and AI tools. COPE; 2023. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://www.publicationethics.org/guidance/cope-position/authorship-and-ai-tools
Sage Journals. Sage Publication ethics policies: artificial intelligence policy. Sage; 2025. Accessed October 20, 2025. https://www.sagepub.com/journals/publication-ethics-policies/artificial-intelligence-policy