The reluctance to credit AI in academic research: A crisis of transparency or tradition?

In recent years, generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) tools have emerged as powerful instruments in the academic research process.They assist with brainstorming, literature synthesis, data analysis, language polishing and even code generation. 1 Yet, despite their growing utility, a palpable resistance persists among researchers to openly acknowledge their use in scholarly publications. 2How many academic articles published in the past year have actually credited AI assistance?Of those, how many did so voluntarily rather than due to editorial policy?These are not just technical questions, they point to an emerging cultural tension at the heart of modern scholarship.