Ethical use of AI in nursing research
AI tools can reduce the administrative burden, but what do nurse researchers need to know about the ethical use of AI in their research and where can researchers find guidelines on use?
Used well, AI tools can reduce administrative burden and help amplify diverse scholarly voices, but used unethically they can erode trust in scholarly output
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the world in which we live. Virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, navigation apps like Waze, smart home devices, and phone facial recognition are all examples of AI in everyday life. The academic world is not immune from these changes, with pressures being felt across student assessment, delivery of learning and academic publishing (Al Salti et al 2025).
Everyone is rapidly learning about AI as it continues to evolve. AI is not a single technology, it includes traditional AI for automating tasks, predictive AI for forecasting outcomes, conversational AI for generating human-like responses and generative AI for creating new content (Microsoft 2026).
‘Responsible AI includes transparent disclosure and human authorship and oversight’
Used well, AI tools can reduce administrative burden and help amplify diverse scholarly voices. Using AI to identify relevant sources or to test ideas can increase productivity and quality of work.
Failing to disclose use of AI is unethical
However, when used poorly, AI tools can erode trust in scholarly output. Examples of unethical AI use include using AI to produce scholarly content, to paraphrase sources to disguise plagiarism, or to fabricate scholarly references. Failing to disclose use of AI is also unethical (Tang et al 2024).
It is also inappropriate to list an AI tool as an author as it cannot take the responsibility, accountability, or ethical oversight required of an author. Responsible AI includes transparent disclosure and human authorship and oversight (Tang et al 2024).
Editorial policies are changing internationally to safeguard scholarly integrity and support innovation. RCNi’s AI statement and policy guides authors in the use of AI in RCNi journals. I strongly urge all prospective authors to take the time to familiarise themselves with this policy before embarking on their writing journey. Doing so will ensure your work adheres to ethical standards and helps maintain trust in academic publishing.
RCNi Directorate AI statement and policy – January 2026
Further information
- Al Salti Maitha, Al Yahayei Asma, Al Shamsi Maarib et al (2025) Perceptions of Nursing Faculty on Utilizing AI Tools in Academic Writing and Publication Productivity: A Cross-Sectional Study. Nursing Forum, 7447348. https://doi.org/10.1155/nuf/7447348
- Microsoft (2026) Generative AI vs. other AI types
- Tang A, Li K-K, Kwok KO et al (2024). The importance of transparency: Declaring the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in academic writing. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 56, 314–318. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12938
