Ethical AI Usage

My Commitment to Intellectual Integrity

Everything I write begins with original thinking. My ideas, arguments, frameworks, and analysis are my own — developed through more than twenty-five years of global commercial leadership, ongoing academic research, and a deep engagement with the subjects I write about. Originality is not negotiable. It is the foundation of everything that carries my name.

I use artificial intelligence tools as part of my professional workflow, openly and with full transparency. I regard this not as a concession but as a point of professional pride. The responsible use of available tools has defined every serious profession throughout history — from the engineer's slide rule to the scientist's computational software to the writer's reference library. AI is the tool of this generation, and I use it with the same rigour and accountability that every good tool demands.

How I Use AI

Research and literature review. I use AI as a research assistant to identify relevant academic literature, cross-reference sources, and map the landscape of a subject. This accelerates what was once a months-long process of manual library research, but the critical evaluation, selection, and synthesis of sources remains entirely my own intellectual work.

Fact-checking and verification. I use AI to check, double-check, and cross-reference claims, data points, and historical details. Accuracy matters deeply to me. AI helps me uphold that standard, not replace it.

Mind-mapping and idea organisation. I use AI to help structure and organise my thinking — to map out arguments, test the logic of a framework, and identify gaps in my reasoning. The ideas being organised are always mine. The tool helps me see them more clearly.

Editing and language. I use grammar and style tools such as Grammarly and built-in spellcheck to edit and polish my prose. For longer works, I may use AI for initial structural feedback, though I regard experienced human editors as substantially superior for substantive editorial work. My book, The Algorithmic Shopper (St. Martin's Press), benefits from the expertise of a distinguished (human) editor whose craft represents the best of a tradition that has elevated writing for centuries.

Visual support. Where appropriate, I may use AI to generate or enhance images and diagrams that accompany my writing. This is always in a supporting role to clarify or illustrate ideas.

What I Do NOT Use AI For

I do not use AI to generate my ideas. Every concept, framework, and argument I publish originates from my own thinking, experience, and research.

I do not use AI to write on my behalf. My writing is original. AI does not draft my articles, chapters, or papers. The words are mine.

I do not publish AI-generated content without thorough review. Everything that carries my name has been read, considered, and approved by me. I take full responsibility for every claim, every argument, and every sentence.

Declaration Practice

Every time I use AI in a meaningful capacity, I declare it — what tool was used, for what purpose, and to what extent. This is standard practice for responsible professionals and is consistent with the policies of every major academic publisher and leading university worldwide.

Academic Writing and Journal Submissions

For my academic papers, journal articles, and scholarly publications, I adhere strictly to the specific ethical AI usage policies of the relevant journal or publisher. These policies vary by institution and are regularly updated. In every case, I comply fully with the disclosure requirements, authorship standards, and AI usage guidelines of the publication in question.

Where a journal requires detailed disclosure of AI tools used, the specific purposes of their use, and confirmation that no AI system is credited with authorship, I provide this without reservation. I regard these policies as essential safeguards for scholarly integrity, and I support their continued development as AI capabilities evolve.

The human author bears full and sole responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the work. That author is me.

A Final Word

"The value of any intellectual contribution has never resided in the tool used to produce it. It resides — as it always has — in the quality of the thinking behind it.

I use the best tools available to me, as every serious professional in every generation has done in the faithful application of their craft, and I use them with transparency, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to original thought.

From the slide rule to the scientific calculator. The spinning wheel to the loom. The journalist to his editor. Every craft is shaped by the technology of its time and elevated by the practitioners bold enough to master it.

If you have questions about my AI usage practices, I welcome the conversation."

— Paul Ferrando Accornero 2026