Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is increasingly integrated into academic writing, contributing to different phases of the writing process. While existing discourse frames AI as either a neutral tool or a disruptive technology, how academic writers negotiate the ethical boundary between assistance and authorship in human-AI collaborative writing remains underexplored. The tension between treating AI as an instrument and recognizing its substantive contributions remains a contested issue, warranting citation, disclosure, or even authorship. Grounded in Braidotti's (2013) posthumanist writing theory, the study examines how academic writers reflect on the role of GAI as a non-human actor whose participation unsettles conventional notions of authorship. Decisions surrounding whether AI should be cited, disclosed, or acknowledged remain fraught, as journal publishers' rules straddle gray areas. The study adopts an interpretive qualitative research design, using reflective prompts and discourse completion tasks to elicit ethical reasoning from 30 academic researchers across diverse disciplines and career stages. These instruments foreground participants’ judgments concerning citation, disclosure, and credit attribution in human-AI assemblage. Data are analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, with particular attention to how writers justify their decisions in the absence of AI intent or moral agency, and how they construct ethical boundaries around authorship and responsibility. Findings indicate that citation-related decisions are shaped by disciplinary norms, perceived cognitive contribution, and concerns about academic integrity. The paper argues that clarifying generative AI citation practices is not merely a policy concern but a human responsibility central to sustaining established academic values in an era of human–AI collaboration.

Authors:
April Rose Gonzales, De La Salle University, Philippines
Leah Gustilo, De La Salle University, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
April Gonzales, a.k.a Arrah, is a faculty member and researcher at De La Salle University, teaching English, linguistics, social science, and humanities courses. She is completing her dissertation on human-AI collaboration in research writing.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-gonzales-284626208/

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