Evolving target: A 16-year progressive framework for shifting the rubric of scientific publishing toward transparency, artificial intelligence, and the Economic Impact Factor for impact that matters

Reflecting on 16 years of continuous evolution at the <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i>, this editorial offers a forward-looking vision for redefining the framework of scientific publishing. With the emergence of artificial intelligence, open science, and the growing need for translational value, we propose shifting from traditional citation-based assessments toward an impact and progress framework, anchored by the Economic Impact Factor. The <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i> experience, grounded in metrics and milestones, supports this evolution: Among the more than 1200 published articles since inception, our top 10 cited works have collectively accrued over 2475 citations, led by Kyurkchiev <i>et al</i> (398 citations) and Casteilla <i>et al</i> (392 citations). Emerging scholars such as Ann De Becker and Nipha Chaicharoenaudomrung have shaped the next generation of research, as seen in our top 10 junior authors table. Clinically, <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i> has supported critical translational work, such as Tsang <i>et al</i>'s mesenchymal stem cell stroke trial (27 citations), illustrating real-world impact. Thematic breadth remains a cornerstone, with 22 focus areas including artificial intelligence-integrated programming, spatial single-cell biology, CRISPR-based gene editing, and bench-to-bedside translation. As <i>Nature</i> and other leading publishers move toward transparent peer review, <i>World Journal of Stem Cells</i> embraces editorial co-creation, recognizing peer reviewers and editors as contributors with "10000-foot eagle views" by publishing peer-review reports side-by-side with the related manuscripts since its inception. Together, these shifts signify a call to recalibrate what we value in science - not just what is cited, but what truly counts.