Redefining Scientific Authorship in the Age of AI: Challenges for Editors and Institutions

The swift incorporation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, especially big language models like ChatGPT, into academic writing has unsettled conventional standards of scientific authorship, responsibility, and editorial procedures. This work rigorously analyzes the ways in which AI-assisted text production contests traditional authorship standards, prompts epistemological and legal dilemmas, and necessitates a revaluation of governance in academic communication by institutions and publishers. Utilizing more than thirty-five recent peer-reviewed papers, opinions, and policy documents published from 2022 to 2025, the research delineates critical contradictions between innovation and integrity, as well as automation and responsibility. The discourse examines the ramifications for editing processes, the dependability of peer review, and the ethical recognition of intellectual contributions, as well as concerns regarding copyright, transparency, and epistemic accountability. Special emphasis is placed on the disparate and developing institutional responses, underscoring the absence of unified global standards and the possible dangers of inconsistent enforcement. The study advocates for a redefinition of authorship that differentiates between human, AI-assisted, and AI-generated contributions, while emphasizing human accountability for scholarly integrity. It suggests a framework for responsible innovation based on transparency, AI literacy, and collaborative policy formulation among universities, publishers, and funding organizations. The project aims to address the problems and opportunities presented by AI-mediated scholarship to preserve the integrity and reliability of the scientific record while facilitating productive interaction with revolutionary technologies.