What happened

Elsevier's The Journal of Human Evolution began using AI during production without informing its board of editors, resulting in numerous style and formatting errors and reversing versions of papers that had already been accepted and formatted by the editors. 

The errors altered the meaning of published works and increased the workload for editors, who were forced to spend considerable time correcting them.

Why it happened

The resignation reflects broader tensions within academic publishing, particularly regarding transparency and ethical practices. 

The editors voiced concerns about Elsevier's ongoing changes that undermined the journal's core principles and infrastructure and highlighted that the publisher had steadily eroded essential support systems while failing to consult with them on crucial decisions. 

The use of AI was particularly contentious as it was implemented without prior consultation.