Sharpening the Pencil, Not Replacing the Hand: De‐Stigmatising AI Use in Research Writing

Most researchers accept AI in writing, yet stigma around disclosure persists—revealing a gap between practice and transparency. Avoiding AI in research writing may itself be an ethical misstep when clarity of communication is a scholarly obligation. AI disclosure should be reframed from confession to scholarly norm, modelling accountability rather than signalling weakness. Not all AI use carries equal ethical weight—disclosure frameworks should distinguish surface editing from deeper co‐production. Responsible AI engagement, not blanket avoidance, best mitigates risks of hallucination, bias, and epistemic homogenisation.