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  • When you suspect referees used AI?

    In our January “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    What should I do if I think my co-referee on an article used AI to write their report?

    I’ve lately come across reports from my fellow manuscript reviewers (they’re visible to me) that stand out, and in exactly the same ways. Almost like a template. They are over-the-top glowing in their praise of the manuscript, unlike anything I’ve seen before (I’ve been refereeing for years); they spend numerous paragraphs – more than half – simply summarizing and at times quoting the MS (also something I’ve never seen before), and they all conclude with a suggestion that amounts to a minor word-change in an insignificant section or section title. It’s uncanny, when you see multiple versions of this. It’s almost as though they’re designed to (a) recommend publication in a way that forecloses the possibility of revisions coming back for further review, but (b) also in a way that showcases detailed (if uncritical) engagement with the manuscript.

    I’m not alleging my co-referees gave the task over to AI completely. My suspicion is that they quickly got the sense the piece is on the level and, having satisfied themselves to that effect, didn’t want to invest more time. I say this in part because in all of the cases that stood out to me, the argument and scholarship had significant – but not immediately obvious – problems, but the style was impeccably expert. Enough to look exactly like good philosophy if you don’t have the time to read closely. Or so it seemed to me.

    But I’m not sure what to do about this. Should I report my suspicion to the editors, and risk harming the reputation of professional colleagues on less than ironclad proof? Has anyone else noticed anything like this?

    I haven’t noticed this as of yet, but most of the journals that I referee for don’t share referees’ reports with the other referees. In any case, if the OP suspects something, I don’t see anything amiss in them reporting their suspicions. If the editors want to look into it further, they can.

    What do readers think? Have any of you encountered (or suspected) this?

    5

  • Publishing in Philosophy Compass?

    In our January “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    How does publishing in Philosophy Compass work? Its website reports an extreme acceptance rate (85%), but one needs to get approval from an editor before submitting. Does anyone have experience with them? Am I right in thinking they have a pretty good reputation?

    Does anyone have any helpful insights to share?

    12

  • Transferring to a PhD program in the US after 5 years to escape from harassment?

    In our January “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    I am currently a PhD student in my home country (a small country in Asia) and have been enrolled for five years. Unfortunately, my academic environment has been deeply problematic, including repeated incidents of sexual harassment. Most recently, a professor directly propositioned me and suggested that I become romantically involved with him despite being married. Given the power imbalance and the broader pattern of misconduct, I no longer feel safe continuing in the programme.

    I am therefore considering withdrawing and applying to PhD programmes in the United States to start over. However, I worry that admissions committees may see me as too senior or too advanced, especially compared to younger applicants who are applying straight from undergraduate or master’s programmes.

    Given this situation, do I still have a realistic chance of being admitted to a U.S. PhD programme?

    I am so sorry that the OP is going through this. I would hope another program would welcome them, but I haven’t worked in a department with a graduate program in nearly 20 years and have no experience with the kind of situation the OP is facing–so unfortunately, I do not feel well-positioned to provide any good answer(s).

    Do any readers have any helpful insights to share?

    8

  • Best-regarded journals for AI/Tech ethics?

    In our January “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    Do people have an idea of the best specialist journals for publishing on AI or tech ethics? And by “best,” I mean “best regarded by philosophers.”

    One reader submitted the following response:

    I work in AI ethics. Of the specialist ones, Philosophy & Technology and AI & Society are fairly well regarded, but given the infancy of the field, none are particularly distinguished yet (imo).

    What do other readers think?

    6