Six of 10 desk-rejected papers failed an author reality check
A TMLR editor invited authors of 10 papers headed for desk rejection to explain their own work. Three could not answer basic questions, while three more handled the high-level pitch but faltered under follow-up; one withdrew, one was unavailable, and one no-showed. That is not proof of AI authorship, but it is a concrete warning that submission pipelines can separate a paper from anyone who truly understands it.