The disclosure gap: why mandating AI transparency without protecting honesty is a leadership failure

Despite widespread mandates for generative AI disclosure by academic journals and universities, actual reported AI usage in published papers remains extremely low, creating a significant 'disclosure gap'. This discrepancy is not attributed to a failure in compliance but rather to institutions asking individuals to volunteer information, indicating a potential systemic issue in current transparency approaches.

The persistent gap between mandatory AI disclosure policies and actual reported usage highlights a fundamental challenge in implementing transparency measures for emerging technologies. This indicates that current institutional strategies may be ineffective in fostering genuine accountability and understanding of AI's integration into critical processes, necessitating a re-evaluation of governance and leadership approaches.

Approximately 70% of academic journals now require disclosure of generative AI use.

Forward consideration, not a verified fact.