Nature AI Guidelines
Last updated: March 30, 2026
Check AI policies for below classifications
Refinement, correction, editing or formatting the manuscript to improve clarity of language
Policy Summary
Nature permits authors to use an LLM or other AI tool for AI-assisted copy editing of human-generated text to improve readability and style and to correct errors (including wording and formatting changes). This type of AI use does not need to be declared, provided it remains limited to copy-editing and does not involve generative editorial work or autonomous content creation. In all cases, human accountability for the final version of the text is required, and authors must agree that any edits reflect their original work.
Evidence
- The use of an LLM (or other AI-tool) for “AI assisted copy editing” purposes does not need to be declared. In this context, we define the term "AI assisted copy editing" as AI-assisted improvements to human-generated texts for readability and style, and to ensure that the texts are free of errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and tone. These AI-assisted improvements may include wording and formatting changes to the texts, but do not include generative editorial work and autonomous content creation. In all cases, there must be human accountability for the final version of the text and agreement from the authors that the edits reflect their original work.
AI Status
Writing or drafting manuscript content
Policy Summary
Nature permits authors to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (including LLMs) when writing manuscripts before submission, but authors must still meet Nature’s authorship criteria and remain fully responsible for the work’s accuracy and policy compliance. Any use of an LLM to generate text that is included in the manuscript should be documented in the Methods section, or in a suitable alternative section if Methods is not available. The post-acceptance category of AI-assisted copy editing is limited to wording and formatting changes and does not include generative editorial work or autonomous content creation. The policy does not specify human review requirements for this classification.
Evidence
- We permit the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process before submission, but authors must ensure that they meet our authorship criteria and are fully responsible for all aspects of their work, including the accuracy of the final manuscript and its compliance with our editorial policies. Use of an LLM to generate text that is then included in a manuscript, should be properly documented in the Methods section (and if a Methods section is not available, in a suitable alternative part) of the manuscript. These AI-assisted improvements may include wording and formatting changes to the texts, but do not include generative editorial work and autonomous content creation.
AI Status
Translation of manuscript text for the purpose of publishing
Policy Summary
Nature permits authors to use generative AI and AI-assisted writing technologies to improve the language and readability of a manuscript. When authors use such technology for language improvement, they should declare this use in the paper (for example, in the acknowledgements or another appropriate section), including the tool or service name and the reason for its use. After using the tool or service, authors should review and edit the content as needed and take full responsibility for the publication’s content. No declaration is needed for basic tools that check grammar, spelling, references, and similar functions.
Evidence
- Authors may use generative AI and AI-assisted writing technologies (sometimes called ‘large language models’ or ‘chatbots’, such as ChatGPT) to improve the language and readability of their paper, as long as such use is declared in the paper and the final responsibility for the content of the paper rests with the human authors. ... Where authors use such technology to improve the quality of the language in their manuscript, they should add the following statement to their paper, in the acknowledgements section or other appropriate section: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication. ... This declaration does not need to be made for the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references etc.
AI Status
Refining or formatting of data reported in the manuscript
Policy Summary
Nature permits the use of AI-assisted tools for image analysis, including enhancing image quality or extracting data, provided the use is fully transparent. Authors should name the tool or software and describe how it was used in the methods section, and they should ensure image alterations do not misrepresent the original data. The use of AI tools to analyse, interpret, and draw insights from datasets is accepted, and in such cases the tool should be described in the paper’s methods section. The policy does not specify human review requirements for this classification.
Evidence
- The use of AI-assisted tools for image analysis (for example, for enhancing image quality or for data extraction) is permitted, as long as such use is fully transparent. The tool or software should be named and its use described in the methods section. Authors should ensure that any alterations to images do not lead to a misrepresentation of the original data (see our policies on image integrity and our more detailed guidance on what is and isn't acceptable). However, the use of AI tools to analyse, interpret and draw insights from datasets is common and accepted. For example, AI software that picks out a particular cell type in a microscope image is a useful tool. In such cases, the tool should be described in the paper’s methods section.
Source
AI Status
Generation, refinement, correction, editing or formatting of images, diagrams or other figures for illustrative purposes only
Policy Summary
Springer Nature journals do not permit the use of generative AI image creation for publication, except in specified cases where the image must be clearly labelled as AI-generated within the image field. When non-generative machine learning tools are used to manipulate, combine, or enhance existing images or figures, this use should be disclosed in the relevant caption upon submission so it can be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Evidence
- While legal issues relating to AI-generated images and videos remain broadly unresolved, Springer Nature journals are unable to permit its use for publication. All exceptions must be labelled clearly as generated by AI within the image field. Please note: Not all AI tools are generative. The use of non-generative machine learning tools to manipulate, combine or enhance existing images or figures should be disclosed in the relevant caption upon submission to allow a case-by-case review.
AI Status
Generation, refinement, correction, editing or formatting of visualisations of research data or results
Policy Summary
Nature Portfolio journals prohibit using generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts, unless the image creation or alteration is itself part of the research and is properly documented. Where this exception applies, authors must describe the tool's use in the methods and provide a full, unfiltered, and unadjusted tool output as supplementary information. The use of non-generative machine learning tools to manipulate, combine, or enhance existing images or figures must be disclosed in the relevant caption for case-by-case review.
Evidence
- Nature Portfolio journals do not permit the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts. The only exception is if the creation or alteration of images is part of the research itself. In that case, the use of the tool must be described in the methods and a full, unfiltered, and unadjusted output of the tool must be provided as supplementary information. The use of non-generative machine learning tools to manipulate, combine or enhance existing images or figures should be disclosed in the relevant caption upon submission to allow a case-by-case review.
AI Status
Refinement or formatting of code reported in the submitted manuscript
Policy Summary
Nature permits authors to use generative AI or AI-assisted tools to improve the language and readability of a manuscript, which can include refining or formatting code, but these tools should not be used to replace key researcher tasks. This use should be carried out with human oversight and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the outputs. Authors must disclose in the manuscript (in the Methods section or another appropriate section) any use of AI or AI-assisted technologies to create text or other content, including code. Authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for all manuscript content, including any AI-generated code.
Evidence
- Where authors use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, these technologies should only be used to improve the language and readability of their paper and not to replace key researcher tasks such as producing scientific insights, analysing and interpreting data or drawing scientific conclusions. Applying the technology should be done with human oversight and control, and authors should carefully review and edit the result, as AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete or biased. At submission, the author should be prepared to provide information about how they used AI and AI-assisted technologies to create text or other content (including figures, images, video or code) for their manuscript. Authors are ultimately responsible and accountable for the contents of the work, including any AI-generated content. ...authors must disclose in their manuscript (in the Methods section, or other appropriate section if there is no Methods section), any use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process, to produce or gather insights for any part of the manuscript, and in the production of figures or other graphical elements of the paper.
AI Status
Assisting with gathering references
Policy Summary
Authors should document any use of LLM tools, including for assistance that may affect citations and references, in the methods or acknowledgements section. Authors are responsible for the factual accuracy of their paper, including any LLM-produced content, and for correctly citing any supporting work on which that content is based.
Evidence
- Researchers using LLM tools should document this use in the methods or acknowledgements sections. Authors are responsible for the factual accuracy of their paper, including any parts produced by an LLM, and for correctly citing any supporting work on which that text is based.
AI Status
Presentation of any kind of content generated by AI tools as though it were original research data/results from non-machine sources
Policy Summary
Nature requires authors to document any use of an LLM or other AI tool in the Methods section, unless the use is limited to 'AI assisted copy editing,' which does not need to be declared. In all cases, authors must remain accountable for the final text. Authors must not use AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images, figures, or data in a way that misrepresents research findings.
Evidence
- Use of an LLM should be properly documented in the Methods section (and if a Methods section is not available, in a suitable alternative part) of the manuscript. The use of an LLM (or other AI-tool) for 'AI assisted copy editing' purposes does not need to be declared. In all cases, there must be human accountability for the final version of the text and agreement from the authors that the edits reflect their original work. Authors must not use AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images, figures, or data. This could include, for example, enhancing, obscuring, moving, removing, or adding a specific feature within an image or figure, or creating a plausible but fake dataset.
