UK Research and Innovation AI policy
Limits AIChecked November 9, 2026
In short
UKRI restricts how applicants use generative AI: you must not use it to generate an entire application, or sections of one, without human involvement, and must not use it in interviews. You are expected to be transparent where you have used it (for example idea generation, data analysis, comparing literature, code or an abstract), and UKRI says this will not affect assessment. Minimal use such as translation or improving your English does not need to be disclosed.
For applicants
- Be transparent where you have used generative AI in developing your application. UKRI gives examples of substantive use that could be declared, such as idea generation, data analysis, comparing literature, code, or an abstract. UKRI says this information will not affect the assessment.[1]
- You do not need to disclose minimal use, such as translating from another language, improving your English, formatting, or cutting word count.[1]
- Do not use generative AI to generate an entire application, or whole sections of one, without human involvement.[1]
- Do not use generative AI during interviews that form part of the application process.[1]
- Never put other people's sensitive or personal data into a generative AI tool without their formal consent, and make sure AI outputs you use do not contain confidential, falsified, fabricated, plagiarised or misrepresented content.[1]
- The policy applies to all UKRI funding opportunities.[2]
For reviewers
- Assessors, including reviewers and panellists, must not use generative AI in their assessment except for language refinement.[1]
- When using AI to refine the language of a review, assessors must not enter any part of the application into the tool, must not disclose personal information from it, and must not ask the tool to understand, summarise or evaluate the application.[1]
- Assessors must not take into account or speculate about whether an application was developed with generative AI.[1]
Sources
- [1]Use of generative artificial intelligence in application preparation and assessment
UK Research and Innovation, July 6, 2026
“In line with current sector good practice, applicants and applications are expected to be transparent where they have used generative AI tools in the development of an application. This information will not affect the assessment process.”
“Applicants do not need to disclose any minimal use of generative AI tools in their application.”
“Applicants must not use generative AI tools to generate an entire application, or sections of an application, without human involvement.”
“Applicants must not use generative AI during interviews, where this forms part of the application process.”
“Sensitive or personal data of others must never be input into a generative AI tool without formal consent from the individual.”
“not use generative AI tools as part of their assessment activities except for language refinement purposes”
“generative AI is not tasked with understanding, summarising or evaluating the application’s content”
“not take into account or speculate within their assessment whether generative AI has been used to develop the application”
“Examples of substantive use that could be declared: assisting idea generation or development of hypotheses interpreting, analysing or summarising data (including audio, image files) and text comparing literature sources generating or refining code generating an abstract”
“Applicants do not need to disclose any minimal use of generative AI tools in their application. Examples of minimal use include: translating applications from other languages to English improving the standard of English formatting or reducing word count.”
“you must ensure this does not contain any information that is: confidential and used without consent falsified fabricated plagiarised misrepresented”
“Assessors, including reviewers and panellists, must: not use generative AI tools as part of their assessment activities except for language refinement purposes”
“When using generative AI to refine the language of a review, assessors must ensure that: no part of the application being assessed is entered into generative AI no personal information from the application is disclosed generative AI is not tasked with understanding, summarising or evaluating the application’s content”
- [2]Generative artificial intelligence in application and assessment policy
UK Research and Innovation, July 6, 2026
“The policy on use of generative AI in application preparation and assessment applies to all UKRI funding opportunities.”
This page summarizes published guidance and is not legal advice. Policies change, and a specific solicitation can add its own rules, so confirm against the funding announcement before you apply. See every funder's AI policy.