Updated EU guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI in research

On 16 October the European Commission published the fourth edition of the Living guidelines on the responsible use of generative AI in research. The guidelines are developed by the European Research Area (ERA) Forum with input from countries and stakeholders across the ERA. The Commission calls it the most comprehensive update since the first edition in 2024.

What is new

• Agentic AI. New guidance on AI tools that handle increasingly complex tasks on their own. For such tools, human oversight, accountability and reliability matter even more.
• Peer review and proposal evaluation. More detailed guidance on how AI may and may not be used in peer review and in evaluating research proposals.
• A new structure. The recommendations are easier to find and apply.

Who the guidelines are for

The guidelines contain separate recommendations for researchers, research organisations and research funding organisations. The core principles stay the same: accountability, transparency and responsibility.

They are called "living" because they are updated regularly. The Commission invites comments through a feedback form.

The guidelines (PDF) · European Commission announcement

Photo: Max Gruber / Better Images of AI, CC BY 4.0