Environmental Science Technology AI Policy: ChatGPT and Generative AI Disclosure Rules for ES&T Authors

Acceptable disclosure language for ES&T submissions:

"For our environmental science research-focused manuscript at ES&T, we used ChatGPT-4o (OpenAI, version dated October 2024) to polish English-language phrasing in the Introduction and Discussion sections. We did not use generative AI for data analysis, figure generation, or substantive manuscript content. All authors reviewed and edited the AI-assisted text and take responsibility for the final manuscript."

Or, for AI-assisted code:

"For this ES&T submission addressing environmental science research, initial Python code for the Bayesian regression analysis was drafted with Claude 3.5 Sonnet (Anthropic, version dated December 2024). All code was reviewed, modified, and validated by the authors before use; the final version is available at [repository URL]. Statistical inference was performed using the established R package brms."

What does NOT pass ES&T's desk-screen:

• For ES&T addressing environmental science research: "AI tools were used in manuscript preparation." Too vague for ACS editorial review of ES&T submissions; the ES&T editorial team needs the specific tool name, version, and specific use case

• "We acknowledge AI assistance in the Acknowledgments." (Do not rely on this location unless the current journal policy explicitly allows it.)

• "ChatGPT helped write this paper." (Insufficient detail on use case)

• No disclosure when AI was used (publication-ethics violation)

For ES&T-targeted manuscripts, the patterns below are common AI-policy risk areas to check against the publisher's current guidance before submission.

AI disclosure missing despite obvious AI-assisted phrasing. Substantive AI-assisted drafting without a required disclosure can trigger an editorial query. Check whether your manuscript reads as AI-assisted

AI disclosure placed in the wrong manuscript location. ES&T editorial team flags this as a common mistake against environmental science research submissions. Publisher policies differ on whether AI disclosure belongs in Methods, a dedicated AI-use statement, acknowledgments, or another manuscript section. A misplaced disclosure can create an avoidable submission query. Check whether your AI disclosure is in the right section

Generic disclosure language without tool name and version. ES&T editorial team requires the specific tool, its version (or access date), and the specific use case. "AI tools were used" without specifics gets returned. Check whether your AI disclosure has the required specificity

Source: Manusights internal review of ES&T-targeted submissions, 2025 cohort.

ACS's AI policy framework continues to evolve as 2026 brings new ICMJE recommendations, COPE guidance refinements, and journal-specific clarifications. ES&T authors targeting environmental science research submissions should track three signals throughout 2026:

Quarterly policy updates from ACS. The publisher's public AI policy guidance is updated over time. ES&T authors who pre-register their disclosure language at submission time tend to face fewer revisions during the 2026 transition period than authors who write boilerplate disclosures.

Field-specific clarifications for environmental science research. Different research domains see different AI use patterns. ES&T's editorial team has been refining what counts as "substantive AI use" versus "ancillary AI assistance" for environmental science research work. Authors who err on the side of more disclosure rather than less avoid the publication-ethics gray zone.

Reviewer disclosure norms. As ACS extends AI-disclosure rules to peer reviewers, the response rate from ES&T reviewers may shift. Authors should expect that ES&T reviewers' use of AI tools is now also disclosed and factored into editorial decisions.

• Manusights internal preview corpus (2025 cohort)

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