arXiv Updates Rate Limit Policy to Equitably Distribute Moderator Time Amid AI-Driven Submission Surge

New Submission Caps

As of October 1st, 2026, arXiv has instituted an updated rate-limiting policy across all categories. This is described as a stopgap measure to equitably distribute volunteer moderator time and improve moderation tools. The new limits restrict submitters to a maximum of two submissions per calendar month and three total active submissions at any given time. This policy applies regardless of subject area, and rejected submissions count toward the monthly limit because they consume moderator time.

Drivers for Policy Change

The decision stems from a dramatic increase in submission volume, driven in part by advanced AI tools. Key statistics include:

• September 2016: 9,869 submissions
• September 2024: 20,569 submissions
• September 2026: 40,363 submissions (a new record), generating nearly 9,000 support tickets.

Submissions in the cs.AI category have increased over 6X in the past two years. arXiv notes that while AI tools are permitted for research support, many resulting papers are "thin," of "narrow scope," or constitute "salami" slicing, failing to meet scholarly standards.

Operational Impact

The primary goal is to equitably distribute volunteer moderator time and protect the integrity of the arXiv corpus. Previously, a small proportion of authors submitting low-quality content delayed the review of high-quality papers by days or weeks. The policy encourages authors to curate and submit only their best work. Deleted submissions that are removed before announcement do not count toward the limits.