Academic Peer Review: Eliminating the Option of ‘Reject’ Without Author Response

Key Points In academic publishing, the peer review process can be marred by inefficiencies, biases, lack of transparency, and inaccuracies/inadequacies. The use of artificial intelligence tools in manuscript review adds a new dimension of uncertainty and accountability. Rejecting a manuscript after the first round of peer review without the authors' response has substantial consequences, and it undermines the fundamental legal rights of responding. The option of an appeal is not a feasible solution because it is often tied with excessive delays and barriers for the authors, and it is time‐consuming for the editors.