JAMA's AI Policy: What You Can Use, What You Must Disclose, and Where the Lines Are
JAMA requires detailed AI disclosure in Methods including tool name, version, and manufacturer, prohibits AI authorship, and applies the same policy across all 14 JAMA Network journals.
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Quick answer: JAMA was among the fastest major medical journals to formalize its AI policy. The rules apply across the entire JAMA Network, 13 specialty journals plus JAMA Network Open. If you're targeting any JAMA title, the policy is stricter than most Springer Nature journals and more prescriptive about disclosure format than almost any other publisher.
JAMA AI Policy at a Glance
- AI authorship: Prohibited. AI tools cannot be listed as authors and cannot take accountability for the work.
- AI disclosure: Required. Disclose use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) in the Methods and Acknowledgments section.
- AI-generated images: Prohibited. AI-created figures, illustrations, or visualizations are not permitted in the manuscript.
- Copy editing: All AI use, including copy editing, must be disclosed.
How JAMA's policy relates to the AMA publisher-wide stance
JAMA is published by the American Medical Association, and the AMA's position on AI in scholarly publishing aligns closely with JAMA's editorial policy. But JAMA's editorial rules are more granular than the AMA's general principles. While the AMA endorses transparency in AI use broadly, JAMA specifies exactly where disclosure goes (Methods section), what format it takes (tool name, version, manufacturer, use case), and what consequences follow non-compliance.
The JAMA Network applies the same AI policy across all its journals. You won't find different rules at JAMA Oncology versus JAMA Cardiology. This is unusual, some publishers let individual journal editors set their own AI standards. If you've read JAMA's policy, you've read the policy for all 14 JAMA Network titles.
The core rules
JAMA's AI policy has four requirements:
- AI can't be an author. Large language models don't meet ICMJE authorship criteria. They can't design studies, interpret data, take public accountability, or approve final manuscripts.
- All AI use must be disclosed in Methods. If you used ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot, or any other AI tool during manuscript preparation (including drafting, editing, data analysis, or literature review) describe this in the Methods section.
- The disclosure must be specific. JAMA doesn't accept vague statements like "AI tools assisted with writing." You need the tool name, version, manufacturer, and what the tool was used for.
- Authors are fully responsible. Using an AI tool doesn't shift any responsibility. Every listed author must vouch for the accuracy of all content, including AI-assisted sections.
What requires disclosure and what doesn't
Use case | Disclosure required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Grammar/spell check (Grammarly, Word) | No | Standard writing tools aren't covered |
Language polishing with ChatGPT | Yes | Even minor edits require disclosure |
Rewriting paragraphs for clarity | Yes | Methods section disclosure |
Generating first drafts | Yes | Risky but permitted with disclosure |
Literature search with AI tools | Yes | Describe scope and limitations |
Statistical code generation | Yes | Specify what code was generated |
AI-assisted figure creation | Yes | Describe what the AI contributed |
AI-generated images (DALL-E, etc.) | Prohibited | Same as most medical journals |
Translation from another language | Yes | Specify source and target language |
Data analysis with AI assistance | Yes | Detail what analyses the AI performed |
The dividing line: if the tool uses generative AI or large language models, disclose it. If it's traditional software (spell checkers, reference managers, statistical packages), you don't need to.
Writing the disclosure statement
JAMA expects more detail than most journals. A properly formatted statement:
"During preparation of this manuscript, the authors used ChatGPT (GPT-4, OpenAI, San Francisco, CA) to assist with editing the Discussion section for clarity and conciseness. The authors reviewed and revised all AI-generated suggestions and take full responsibility for the content of the published article."
Required elements: tool name, version (GPT-4, Claude 3.5), manufacturer and location (OpenAI, San Francisco, CA), specific use case, and author responsibility statement.
A statement that wouldn't pass: "AI tools were used during manuscript preparation." Too vague, JAMA's editors will ask you to revise.
For multiple tools, disclose each separately:
"The authors used ChatGPT (GPT-4, OpenAI) to improve the readability of the Introduction and Claude (Claude 3.5, Anthropic, San Francisco, CA) to assist with drafting the statistical analysis code in R. All AI outputs were reviewed and verified by the authors, who take full responsibility for the published content."
How JAMA compares to other top medical journals
Feature | JAMA | NEJM | The Lancet | The BMJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AI authorship | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
Disclosure location | Methods | Methods + cover letter | Methods | Methods |
Detail required | High (tool, version, manufacturer) | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
AI-generated images | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
Copy editing exemption | No (disclose all AI use) | No | Limited | Yes (basic tools) |
Scope | All JAMA Network titles | NEJM + NEJM Group | All Lancet titles | BMJ + BMJ specialty journals |
JAMA's disclosure requirements are the most prescriptive of the big four. Requiring the manufacturer's name and location goes beyond what NEJM or The Lancet ask for. And unlike Nature, which exempts basic grammar tools, JAMA doesn't draw that line clearly, if you used ChatGPT to fix grammar, JAMA still wants to know.
How JAMA compares to Nature and Cell Press
AI use type | JAMA requirement | Nature requirement | Cell Press requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
Drafting or rewriting text | Disclose in Methods (tool, version, manufacturer) | Disclose in Methods or Acknowledgments | Disclose in a dedicated statement |
Data analysis or code generation | Disclose in Methods with specifics | Disclose if AI generated analytical code | Disclose with details on analytical scope |
Literature search or summarization | Disclose in Methods | Not explicitly required for search alone | Disclose if AI synthesized content used in the paper |
Translation | Disclose in Methods (source and target language) | Disclose | Disclose |
AI-generated images | Prohibited entirely | Prohibited for scientific images | Prohibited for scientific images |
The difference that catches authors off guard: JAMA requires the manufacturer's name and location, which neither Nature nor Cell Press mandates. JAMA also doesn't draw a clean exemption line for "light" AI editing, if you used ChatGPT to rephrase two sentences, JAMA still expects a Methods disclosure. Nature is slightly more relaxed on minor editorial use. Cell Press falls in between, requiring a dedicated AI statement but with less granular formatting rules.
The practical rule: if you're submitting to any JAMA Network journal, default to disclosing everything that involves a large language model. The disclosure takes two sentences. The risk of not disclosing can end a paper's life.
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The JAMA Network scope
JAMA's AI policy applies uniformly across these titles:
Journal | Focus area |
|---|---|
JAMA | General medicine |
JAMA Internal Medicine | Internal medicine |
JAMA Oncology | Cancer |
JAMA Cardiology | Cardiovascular |
JAMA Neurology | Neuroscience/neurology |
JAMA Pediatrics | Pediatrics |
JAMA Surgery | Surgery |
JAMA Psychiatry | Psychiatry |
JAMA Dermatology | Dermatology |
JAMA Ophthalmology | Ophthalmology |
JAMA Otolaryngology | Head and neck surgery |
JAMA Health Forum | Health policy |
JAMA Network Open | All medical disciplines (open access) |
JAMA Network Open deserves special mention. It's the network's only fully open-access journal, with a much higher acceptance rate than JAMA itself (~20% vs ~11%). The AI policy is identical, but the volume of submissions is significantly higher, meaning more AI-assisted manuscripts flow through its editorial system. Authors sometimes assume that Network Open's higher acceptance rate means looser AI policy enforcement. It doesn't, the same editorial standards apply, and the same consequences follow non-disclosure.
Timeline of JAMA's AI policy
Date | Development |
|---|---|
January 2023 | JAMA publishes editorial addressing ChatGPT and authorship |
February 2023 | Formal AI disclosure requirement added to Instructions for Authors |
Mid 2023 | Policy refined to require tool name, version, and manufacturer |
2024 | ICMJE updates authorship guidelines; JAMA aligns immediately |
2025-2026 | Policy stable; enforcement integrated into submission workflow |
JAMA moved fast. The editorial acknowledging AI's impact on medical publishing appeared within weeks of ChatGPT's widespread adoption. The journal set its own rules first and aligned with ICMJE updates as they came.
It's worth noting that JAMA has been transparent about exploring AI tools in its own operations. The journal has published research on AI's ability to answer medical exam questions, generate clinical text, and detect errors in manuscripts. JAMA's editors aren't anti-AI, they're pro-transparency. Some researchers worry that disclosing AI use will bias editors against their manuscript. JAMA's published position suggests the opposite: editors are more concerned about hidden AI use than disclosed use. A paper with a clear, honest AI disclosure is better positioned than one where undisclosed AI use is later discovered.
What happens if you don't disclose
JAMA treats undisclosed AI use like undisclosed conflicts of interest, a publication ethics violation. Consequences escalate based on when it's caught:
Scenario | When discovered | Likely outcome |
|---|---|---|
AI editing not disclosed, minor scope | During peer review | Manuscript returned for disclosure revision |
AI drafting not disclosed, substantial scope | During peer review | Rejection; may flag for editorial board review |
Undisclosed AI use found post-acceptance | Before publication | Acceptance rescinded if authors refuse to add disclosure |
AI-generated content found after publication, minor | Post-publication | Correction notice issued |
AI-generated content found after publication, major | Post-publication | Expression of concern or retraction; institutional notification |
Fabricated data via AI discovered | Post-publication | Retraction; institutional investigation; potential JAMA Network ban |
JAMA accepts roughly 11% of submissions. If your paper survives that filter and then gets corrected or retracted because you didn't write two sentences in Methods, that's a self-inflicted wound with a long tail. Co-authors get dragged in. All 13 JAMA Network journals share editorial records.
Over-disclose. Two extra sentences in Methods cost you nothing. Getting caught costs you everything.
Common mistakes in JAMA AI disclosure
These errors come up repeatedly in JAMA submissions:
- Listing ChatGPT in the Acknowledgments section instead of Methods. JAMA specifically requires Methods placement. Putting AI disclosure in Acknowledgments will trigger a revision request.
- Disclosing AI use for the abstract but not specifying which sections of the main text were AI-assisted. JAMA wants section-level specificity.
- Forgetting to include the version number. "ChatGPT" isn't specific enough, JAMA wants "ChatGPT (GPT-4)" or "ChatGPT (GPT-3.5)."
- Assuming your institution's AI policy overrides JAMA's. If your university allows unrestricted AI use, that doesn't mean JAMA will accept an undisclosed AI-written manuscript.
- Using AI to generate clinical data or patient descriptions. JAMA's editors are experienced enough to spot fabricated clinical scenarios, and AI-generated medical content carries serious accuracy risks.
- Drafting the disclosure statement after submission instead of during writing. It's easier to remember what you used AI for while you're doing it. Keep a log of AI interactions as you work.
If you use AI for statistical code, verify every output independently. JAMA's statistical reviewers will check your methods regardless. And double-check that all co-authors are aware of the AI disclosure, JAMA requires all authors to approve the final manuscript, including the disclosure.
A JAMA submission readiness check can catch statistical reporting gaps and scope mismatches before JAMA's 3-day desk triage.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, with mandatory disclosure. JAMA permits authors to use AI tools like ChatGPT for language editing and manuscript preparation, but all AI use must be disclosed in the Methods section. AI can't be listed as an author, and authors take full responsibility for AI-assisted content.
In the Methods section of the manuscript. JAMA requires authors to describe which AI tool was used, the version, the manufacturer, and how it was applied. The disclosure should be specific enough that readers understand the scope of AI involvement.
No. JAMA's policy explicitly states that AI tools like ChatGPT cannot be listed as authors because they can't meet ICMJE authorship criteria, specifically, they can't take accountability for published work or approve the final manuscript.
Yes. The policy covers all JAMA Network journals, including JAMA, JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Cardiology, JAMA Neurology, JAMA Pediatrics, JAMA Surgery, JAMA Dermatology, JAMA Network Open, and all other titles in the network.
Failure to disclose AI use violates JAMA's publication ethics requirements. If discovered during review, the manuscript may be rejected. If discovered after publication, it could trigger a correction, expression of concern, or investigation under ICMJE guidelines. JAMA treats undisclosed AI use similarly to undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Sources
- JAMA Instructions for Authors
- JAMA editorial: Nonhuman "Authors" and Implications for the Integrity of Scientific Publication and Medical Knowledge
- ICMJE Recommendations: Defining the Role of Authors and Contributors
- JAMA Network Open author guidelines
- AMA policy on augmented intelligence in health care
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