How to Craft the Right Language AI Policy For Your Research Group (Some Assembly Required)

Language AI is rapidly becoming part of the astronomy research ecosystem, prompting research teams to develop policies governing its use.

But resources and advice for AI adoption assume that all research groups share the same goals and values.

This paper lays out an argument for why there is no single "correct" AI policy for astronomy research groups.

Instead, we introduce four research laboratory archetypes with competing research priorities, and we use them to explore how a small laboratory or research group's priorities shape decisions about AI's impact on research productivity, scientist development, scientific integrity, and data governance.

Rather than prescribing a universal set of rules, this paper provides a framework for aligning AI policies with a group's scientific values and mission.

The objective is to help research leaders decide how Language AI should be used within their particular research environment.