Ethics, AI, and Irresistible Temptations

Abstract In this essay, I explore the ethical complexities of using generative AI in academic writing. Drawing on personal experience, I reflect on the shifting terrain of scholarly labor, authorship, originality, and transparency in a moment when AI can produce fluent—and even eloquent—academic prose. Rather than offering prescriptions, or strategies to resolve the ethical tensions, I reflect on the moral ambiguity of AI‐assisted scholarship, the inadequacy of current disclosure norms, and the temptation to remain silent in the face of evolving ethical expectations. I argue for ongoing reflection while navigating this new intellectual landscape and exploring the elusive possibility of meaningful policies.