In short
The Society for Conservation Biology gives Smith Fellows applicants a chance to disclose whether they used AI tools such as ChatGPT, Grammarly, or Claude, and how. Disclosures are not penalized and reviewers do not see them. Program staff may use AI tools for tasks such as summarizing reviewer feedback and matching proposals with reviewers. AI is not used to evaluate or score proposals.
Varies by program. The rule is set in each program's guidelines, so check the one you are applying to.
For applicants
- Smith Fellows applicants can briefly disclose whether they used AI tools. If they did, they can name the tools, list which sections were AI-assisted, give the approximate percentage of AI-generated text, and describe the kinds of prompts or instructions given to the tool. Disclosures are not penalized. Reviewers cannot see them. [1]
- All Smith Fellows proposal materials, including AI-assisted content, remain the intellectual property of the applicant. No part of an application is used for AI model training or shared outside the Smith Fellows review process. [1]
For reviewers
- Smith Fellows staff may use trusted AI tools to organize and summarize reviewer feedback, including feedback summaries provided to applicants. Staff may also use them to match proposals with reviewers by overlapping skills, methods, and expertise, and to help keep the review process consistent and fair. [1]
- AI is not used to evaluate proposals, generate proposal scores, or replace human judgment in selection. [1]
Sources
Apply — Smith Fellows (opens in a new tab)
As part of your application, you will be given a chance to briefly disclose whether you used AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Grammarly, Claude), and if so, which tools you used, which sections were AI-assisted, approximate percentage of AI-generated text, and the kinds of prompts or instructions you gave the AI tool. These disclosures will not be penalized and will not be made visible to reviewers .
Smith Fellows staff may use trusted AI tools to assist with: Organizing and summarizing reviewer feedback, including providing feedback summaries to applicants Effectively matching proposals with reviewers across factors like overlapping skills, methods, and expertise Ensuring consistency and fairness in the review processes
AI will not be used to evaluate proposals, generate proposal scores, or replace human judgment in selection. Confidentiality, Data & Intellectual Property All proposal materials, including AI-assisted content, remain the intellectual property of the applicant. No part of your application will be used for AI model training or shared outside the Smith Fellows review process.
See Society for Conservation Biology's 2 open programs
This page summarizes what the funder has published and is not legal advice. Policies change, and one solicitation can add its own rules. Confirm against the funding announcement before you apply.