AI Journal Editors, Article Processing Charges, and Publishing Subscriptions

AI-aided article solicitations are getting really good. They don’t say, “Dear Dr. Whitehead, Patrick M” anymore. And they don’t vaguely reference my “line of research” or identify one loosely related article (“based on your article entitled, ‘Autonomy Supportive Teaching in Asynchronous Online Courses,’….”). They actually sound like human persons who are putting issues together. 

Such as the request I got from an editor of medical journal last week. The journal was affiliated with a European medical society, so I don’t doubt the journal’s legitimacy. The AI, I think, was putting together an issue focused on existential approaches to medicine and thought that I would want to contribute an article for consideration. Of course I wanted to contribute an article, and I thought about what a neat opportunity this was. Then I checked to see if it would cost me any money to contribute an article. This is called an article processing charge (APC) in academic lingo. I once paid ~$600 for an article for a small independent journal I admired. It was a lot for me at the time, but I saw that it was going to copy-editing and issue production. Plus the journal was open access. $600 is about the top of what I am willing to pay, and that’s only if I admire the journal to begin with.

 

When I checked for an APC for this random journal that was soliciting my article, I discovered that the fee was exorbitant—approximately 8% of my annual salary. Scholars from developing nations could apply for a discounted fee. The discounted fee was still four times higher than the top end limit for what I would consider reasonable. 

 

I replied to the AI and asked for a waiver for the processing charge. I’m honestly surprised that I didn’t get a reply immediately, but it did come eventually. “I see,” she/they/it said—and I’m paraphrasing here—“Some of our authors have found annual subscriptions to our society to be an effective workaround. Becoming a member of our society comes with the benefit of waived processessing charges. Would you like information on how to become a member?”

 

So there we have it. Even publishing academic papers has been infected by the subscription frenzy.

 

By the way, I have received article solicitation emails from journal editors before. Here is how those typically go “Dear Patrick: I am in a bind. We have an issue going to press in three weeks and one of the papers fell through. Would you be willing to put something together for consideration? I have two reviewers standing by.”