The ARC has released an updated Policy on Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the ARC's grants programs, providing guidance on AI use by researchers, Administering Organisations and assessors engaged in the National Competitive Grants Program.
The policy takes effect on 28 April 2026 and applies for both applications and assessments for Discovery Indigenous 2027 and other scheme rounds opening thereafter.
Applicants may continue to use AI as a support tool when preparing applications but remain responsible for the authorship and intellectual content. Assessors may now use AI only to assist with grammar, spelling, formatting and readability of drafted assessments.
Note that this approach is in alignment with the National Health and Medical Research Council's updated AI Policy which has been released in parallel with the ARC's in an ARC-NHMRC joint statement .
