AI at PubPhys

AI helps with two things and decides nothing on its own: it proposes the fields of a new problem from the author's file, and it screens a signed problem so that a clearly fine one need not wait for an editor. Everything AI produces is labelled, the author confirms every field before signing, and anything doubtful goes to a person.

Only with consent

When uploading, the author chooses whether AI may read the file and the fields made from it (off by default). The choice is part of the upload's signed record, logged before any AI call. Without consent nothing is sent: the author fills in the fields and an editor screens the problem.

What is sent, and to whom

• Recipient: an external AI provider, through its API.
• Formalization: the uploaded file (a PDF up to 30 pages as is, otherwise its text) or the typed text, and the titles of the field's topics.
• Screening: the four signed text fields (title, plain words, precise question, what would settle it).
• Nothing else: no name, e-mail or account data. Requests ask the provider not to store them (store: false); the provider does not train on API data, and under its standard terms may keep it for up to 30 days to detect abuse.

Declared assistance

When the author started from an AI proposal, the signed record says so: both origin.assisted_by and content.assisted_by are ["pubphys:ai-formalization/1"] (otherwise both are empty). PubPhys enforces this, so the declaration cannot be dropped, and anyone can check it in the record.

Manipulation

A file can try to steer AI. Files are treated as data, never as instructions; a problem whose text seems to address the AI is held for an editor, and AI output is shown with the warning that it may be manipulated by the submission.

Limits

PubPhys keeps a daily spending limit for AI. When it is reached, or when the provider is unavailable, nothing breaks: authors fill in the fields themselves and new problems wait for an editor.