Economist Novosad: his lab discloses AI-written referee reports instead of hiding them
paulnovosad · x · 2026-10-22
Economist Paul Novosad says it's no joke—his lab genuinely uses AI for writing, including referee reports, but always discloses it. His argument: readers take an AI-sounding report more seriously when authors admit it, while hiding it (and being caught) instantly reads as deception. He adds that needing to preface a message with "here's an AI summary of my thoughts" often means you should just share your thoughts directly.
A reply from ErnestoSolo6 pushes back: people hide AI use precisely because academics weaponize detector screenshots (e.g., Pangram) to delegitimize others' work with no real evidence. The exchange captures academia's twin anxieties over AI-writing disclosure norms and unreliable AI detectors.
Related event: Economist Novosad: Using AI for Writing Is Fine, But Disclose It(5 posts)→
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