53% of TMLR submissions desk-rejected: 3 of 7 authors couldn't answer basic questions about their papers

Dr_Atoosa · x · 2026-09-18

TLMR editor-in-chief Nihar Shah says researchers submitting AI-assisted papers they don't understand is a "serious problem." Desk-rejection rates at the journal have climbed from 6% in 2023 to 53% now. Of 7 desk-rejected authors he interviewed, 3 couldn't answer basic questions, 3 struggled with technical details, and 1 — who answered everything — identified a major flaw in his own paper. Shah's team proposes using AI systems to question authors about their understanding of their own submissions, arguing authors bear ultimate responsibility for their papers' integrity.

Related event: TMLR Desk Rejects Surge to 53% as Authors Fail to Grasp Their Own AI Papers(4 posts)→

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