Editors, researchers, and publishers gathered to share ideas on protecting the quality and credibility of scientific communication.

This year’s 10th Peer Review Congress brought together editors, researchers, publishers, and scientific information professionals at a critical moment for science and scholarship.

From September 3 through September 5, 2025, Dragonfly participated in a global convening focused on the credibility, transparency, and future of peer-reviewed scientific and medical publications.

A forum for hard conversations

Around our booth and in session halls, we heard it plainly: Many scientists are feeling pressure — from resource constraints to the ambiguous role of AI in research and writing. Yet beneath that challenge lay a persistent drive to protect scientific rigor.

Journal editors, peer reviewers, and authors wrestled with tensions. What constitutes acceptable AI use in manuscripts? How do we ensure that disclosures are truthful and citations complete? Where do biases creep in, and how do we detect them? 

In panels and corridor conversations, participants emphasized that editorial vigilance is needed as much as it’s always been.

Bridging gaps globally and locally

The Congress drew an interdisciplinary audience, reflecting its mission to address systemic challenges in publishing across scientific fields. 

With that framing, some sessions spotlighted inequities in infrastructure: For example, in many regions, researchers are required to publish in English-language journals. However, in the absence of editorial resources, AI is becoming a tempting crutch. Without departmental oversight and institutional security provisions, such tools may risk scientific clarity and integrity.

We met authors who felt caught between high standards and limited support. We talked with editors overwhelmed by their workloads as peer reviewer pools shrink. And we saw how even small editorial interventions — for example, language guidance, ethical checks, citation verification — can prevent errors from slipping through.

Ethical publishing requires accurate results and clear, transparent, and trustworthy communication. Scientific communities are under unprecedented pressure, so journals and authors need allies who can safeguard against unintentional — or, in some cases, intentional — breaches, such as untracked citations and self-citations, ghostwritten text, and AI misuse.

At Dragonfly, we see you. We know what’s at stake. Our goal is to help your work shine while staying within compliance standards, editorial best practices, and the expectations of funders and publishers. Were you at the Congress? Let’s keep the conversation going. Connect with us to share insights, or explore how our editorial and publishing services can support your next project or journal issue.