AI Usage Guidance

1. Introduction

PosterPro uses trained AI that runs on our proprietary algorithms to extract and present data from your manuscript and help you create academic posters more efficiently—a purpose-built tool for research posters, not a generic chat interface. This guidance document explains how AI is used in our platform and provides best practices for using AI-assisted content responsibly in academic contexts.

This guidance is designed to help you understand our AI technology, maintain academic integrity, and make informed decisions about using AI-assisted tools in your research communication. We recommend reviewing this guidance before using PosterPro to create posters for conferences, publications, or academic presentations.

2. How AI Works in PosterPro

2.1 Content Extraction Process

When you upload a research manuscript (PDF), our AI system:

• Reads and analyzes the text content of your manuscript
• Identifies key sections such as Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions
• Extracts structured information including title, authors, affiliations, and research content
• Organizes the extracted content into a poster-friendly format following IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) structure
• Formats the content for placement in poster templates

The AI does not generate new research findings, create data, or write original content. It only extracts and reorganizes information that already exists in your manuscript.

2.1.1 Visual and Diagram Generation (Graphs Feature)

When you use the Graphs feature (available to premium users), we send the text of the poster section you choose to an AI visual-generation service (Napkin AI) to produce diagram-style images for your poster. We may first condense that text using Claude Haiku to reduce length before sending it to Napkin. The generated images are saved to your workspace and displayed as figure suggestions that you can place on your poster.

2.2 AI Providers Used

PosterPro uses the following AI providers to power our content extraction and visual generation:

• Anthropic Claude 3 : Used for content extraction, section structuring, and reformatting text. Claude 3 helps reorganize your uploaded manuscript into clear poster sections (such as Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions) in line with academic conventions.
  Anthropic policies: Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
• Perplexity LLM : Used when deeper academic comprehension or research summarization is necessary. Perplexity assists with advanced document analysis and context understanding (when enabled by users).
  Perplexity policies: Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
• OpenAI GPT-4 : In specific scenarios, OpenAI's GPT-4 model may be used for cross-checking poster section organization and to help validate the presentation of extracted content.
  OpenAI policies: Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
• Napkin AI : Used for visual and diagram generation from poster section text in the Graphs feature (premium). The text of the section you select is sent to Napkin's API (optionally after condensation by Claude Haiku); Napkin returns image(s) that we store and display as figure suggestions on your poster.
  For Napkin's policies and support, see app.napkin.ai or contact api@napkin.ai.

We work with reputable AI providers that maintain high standards for data privacy and security. For detailed information about how your data is processed by PosterPro, please see our Privacy Policy. You may also review each provider's policies using the links above to understand their data handling practices.

2.3 What AI Does and Doesn't Do

What AI does:

• Extracts existing content from your manuscript
• Organizes information into logical poster sections
• Formats text for poster layouts
• Helps structure content according to academic poster conventions
• Generates diagrams or visuals from your poster section content (via Napkin AI) for use in the Graphs feature
• Occasionally hallucinates or makes up information

What AI doesn't do:

• Generate new research findings or data
• Create original research content
• Write conclusions or interpretations that aren't in your manuscript
• Make scientific claims or assertions
• Replace your expertise or judgment

3. Best Practices for Using AI-Assisted Content

3.1 Always Review and Verify

We recommend treating AI-extracted content as a starting point, not a final product. Best practices include:

• Review all extracted information against your original manuscript to ensure accuracy
• Verify that all data, figures, and statistics are correctly represented
• Check that section organization makes logical sense for your research
• Ensure technical terminology and methodology descriptions are accurate
• Confirm that key findings and conclusions are properly represented

3.2 Maintain Academic Integrity

You remain the author and are fully responsible for all content in your poster. To maintain academic integrity:

• Take ownership of all content—you are responsible for its accuracy and appropriateness
• Ensure that extracted content accurately represents your research
• Review section organization to ensure it follows logical flow
• Verify that all claims and data are supported by your research
• Make sure the poster meets your institution's standards and requirements

3.3 Edit and Refine

AI-extracted content is fully editable. We recommend:

• Customizing extracted content to match your voice and style
• Adding discipline-specific terminology and context as needed
• Refining section content to emphasize your key messages
• Ensuring all content meets your field's communication standards
• Making the poster your own through thoughtful editing and refinement

4. Academic Integrity Considerations

4.1 Disclosure Requirements

Different institutions and conferences have varying policies regarding AI tool usage. We recommend:

• Checking your institution's policies on AI-assisted tools before using PosterPro
• Reviewing conference guidelines for any requirements about disclosing AI assistance
• Understanding when and how to acknowledge AI tool usage if required
• When in doubt, consulting with your supervisor, advisor, or conference organizers

Some institutions may require disclosure of AI-assisted tools, while others may have specific restrictions. It's important to understand and comply with the policies that apply to your situation.

4.2 Your Responsibilities

As the researcher and author, you are responsible for:

• The accuracy of all content in your poster
• Verifying all extracted data, figures, and claims
• Ensuring compliance with your institution's and field's ethical standards
• Making appropriate disclosures if required by your institution or conference
• The final quality and appropriateness of your poster for its intended audience

4.3 When to Disclose

Consider disclosing AI tool usage when:

• Your institution or conference requires it
• You're uncertain about disclosure requirements and want to be transparent
• You're submitting work for publication or formal review
• Your supervisor or advisor recommends disclosure

If you need help determining whether disclosure is required, we recommend consulting with your institution's research ethics office or your academic advisor.

5. Understanding AI Limitations

5.1 Potential Errors

While our AI system is designed for accuracy, it may occasionally:

• Misinterpret complex technical content or specialized terminology
• Incorrectly identify section boundaries in unusual manuscript formats
• Miss subtle distinctions in methodology or results
• Require manual adjustment for discipline-specific conventions

This is why we emphasize the importance of reviewing and verifying all extracted content. The AI is a tool to assist you, not a replacement for your expertise and judgment.

5.2 Quality Assurance

To ensure the highest quality output, we recommend:

• Always fact-checking extracted information against your original manuscript
• Verifying all numerical data, statistics, and quantitative results
• Reviewing references and citations for accuracy
• Checking that methodology descriptions are complete and correct
• Ensuring that conclusions accurately reflect your research findings

6. Data Privacy and Security

6.1 How Your Data is Processed

When you upload a manuscript for poster creation:

• Your PDF is processed temporarily to extract text content
• The extracted text is sent to our AI providers (including Anthropic, Perplexity, OpenAI, and when used, Claude Haiku for text condensation) for content analysis and structuring
• When you use Graphs, the text of the selected poster section is sent to our AI providers (including Napkin AI for visual generation and, when enabled, Claude Haiku for text condensation)
• Your manuscript content is not permanently stored on our servers
• Processing is completed securely and in accordance with our Privacy Policy

For detailed information about data handling, retention, and security measures, please review our Privacy Policy.

6.2 Data Retention

We are committed to protecting your research data:

• Manuscript content is processed temporarily and not stored permanently
• Your research remains confidential and is not used to train AI models
• We implement appropriate security measures to protect your data during processing
• You maintain full ownership and control of your research content

7. Tips for Best Results

7.1 Preparing Your Manuscript

To get the best results from AI extraction, we recommend:

• Using clear, well-structured source documents with complete text (not just images)
• Ensuring your PDF contains all sections you want extracted (Introduction, Methods, Results, etc.)
• Using standard academic section headings when possible
• Including complete author and affiliation information
• Ensuring figures and tables are clearly labeled in your manuscript

7.2 After Extraction

Once content is extracted, we recommend:

• Reviewing all sections for completeness and accuracy
• Verifying technical terms and methodology descriptions
• Checking that key findings are accurately represented
• Ensuring the poster flow makes logical sense for your research
• Customizing content to emphasize your most important messages
• Adding any discipline-specific context or terminology as needed

8. Getting Help

8.1 Questions About AI Usage

If you have questions about how AI is used in PosterPro or need guidance on using AI-assisted tools in your academic work, we're here to help. You can:

• Contact us at info@posterpro.io for general questions
• Review our Resources section for additional guidance on poster creation
• Consult with your institution's research ethics office for policy-specific questions

8.2 Reporting Issues

If you encounter issues with AI extraction accuracy or have feedback on AI performance:

• Report inaccurate extractions through our support channels
• Provide feedback on AI performance to help us improve
• Contact us if you have concerns about data handling or privacy

9. Updates to This Guidance

As AI technology evolves and academic standards develop, we may update this guidance document to reflect best practices and new information. We recommend checking back periodically for updates.

When we make significant updates, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of PosterPro after such updates indicates your acknowledgment of the updated guidance.