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MDPI has signed a multi-year deal with Proofig AI to strengthen image integrity checks in its biomedical journals. Following a successful pilot, Proofig AI’s technology will be integrated into editorial workflows to detect duplications, manipulations, plagiarism, and AI-generated images. The collaboration aims to reduce post-publication corrections, streamline editorial review, and reinforce MDPI’s commitment to research integrity.

Proofig AI has partnered with Turnitin to launch PubShield, a unified integrity platform that screens both text and images in scientific manuscripts. By combining Proofig AI’s advanced image analysis with Turnitin’s iThenticate text-checking, PubShield delivers comprehensive integrity reports in a single workflow. Researchers, publishers, and institutions benefit from faster compliance, stronger safeguards against plagiarism and manipulation, and reduced reputational risks.

Generative AI can now create microscopy images of nanomaterials that look virtually identical to real ones, raising concerns about image fabrication in scientific publishing. A recent Nature Nanotechnology article highlights the risks, emphasizing the need for stronger education in research integrity, mandatory ethics training, and AI-assisted detection tools like Proofig AI. While peer review was never designed to catch fraud, maintaining trust in science requires collaboration among researchers, publishers, and AI developers to prevent misuse and ensure reproducibility.

The rise of advanced editing software and AI technolodgy has made safeguarding image integrity more critical than ever in scientific publishing. Now adopted by MDPI in selected journals, Proofig AI strengthens peer review by combining automated analysis with human oversight. With advanced image proofing features, the platform saves time, reduces human error, and supports researchers, editors, and publishers in upholding the highest standards of integrity.

In 2025, U.S. research institutions are under mounting financial and political strain as federal budget cuts, suspended grants, and NIH caps on overheads make it harder to sustain essential research operations. With institutions increasingly dependent on donor trust, research integrity has shifted from being a compliance obligation to an existential necessity. Even unintentional errors that lead to retractions can inflict severe reputational and financial damage, threatening long-term survival. Amid lawsuits, warnings from leading scientists, and a growing migration of researchers abroad, safeguarding credibility has never been more critical. Tools such as Proofig AI for image integrity, iThenticate for text plagiarism, and electronic lab notebooks are becoming vital safeguards to protect research integrity and preserve trust in scientific outputs.

Scientific image manipulation—whether intentional or accidental—can lead to severe consequences, from flawed research to reputational damage. This article explores the critical importance of image integrity in scientific publishing and how tools like Proofig AI are helping researchers and journals detect duplications, manipulations, and AI-generated content.

Proofig AI has launched MyDatabase, a secure image repository that helps researchers prevent self-plagiarism by storing published and unpublished research images in a private library. The tool automatically screens new manuscripts against this image archive to detect unintentional reuse.

Scientific misconduct is becoming more prevalent, with over 10,000 research papers retracted globally in 2023. From data fabrication to plagiarism, misconduct can stem from deliberate actions or honest mistakes. This article explores what constitutes scientific misconduct, why it’s rising, and why independent oversight is critical to maintaining research integrity.

Maoz Matarasso from Launch It Capital shares insights from investing in Proofig AI, an innovative startup focused on image integrity for academic publishing. He emphasizes the significance of strong teams, ethical AI use, and real-world value, highlighting Proofig AI as an impactful, high-potential investment.

Wiley has introduced a new set of AI usage guidelines to support authors in responsibly integrating artificial intelligence tools into manuscript development. Launched at the London Book Fair, the guidelines aim to balance the benefits of AI with the importance of maintaining author authenticity, accuracy, privacy, and ethics.

Proofig AI has unveiled its Advanced EditTrace and Cloning Detection feature - an innovative tool designed to detect sophisticated image manipulations, including those powered by AI. This cutting-edge update enhances the platform's capabilities by identifying subtle, content-aware edits and cloning adjustments that evade traditional detection methods.

In response to feedback from nearly 5,000 researchers, publishing giant Wiley emphasizes the need for clear guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in scholarly research.