FAIR² Data Management: frequently-asked questions
General questions
What is FAIR² Data Management?
FAIR² ('Fair Squared') Data Management is a new service provided by Frontiers designed to help researchers organize, showcase, and publish their datasets according to the highest standards of open science. Powered by Senscience, it builds on the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) principles (see the original FAIR Principles paper here) while incorporating AI-driven data stewardship and ethical governance.
Why FAIR² - isn’t FAIR enough?
FAIR² builds upon the traditional FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) principles by introducing AI-readiness, ethical governance, and a structured, open specification that ensures data is not only accessible and reusable but also validated and optimized for modern computational research.
FAIR² is an Open Specification: FAIR² (as outlined at fair2.ai) is a well-defined, structured framework that can be independently validated. It provides clear guidelines for transforming datasets into machine-readable, high-quality assets that meet the evolving standards of open science.
Compatibility with MLCommons Croissant format: FAIR² is designed to be compatible with the MLCommons Croissant format, ensuring that datasets are structured in a way that supports AI and machine learning workflows. This enhances data interoperability across platforms and research disciplines.
AI-readiness: Unlike traditional FAIR, FAIR² ensures that data is natively structured for integration with machine learning and AI-driven analytics, supporting automated discovery and interpretation.
Context-Rich Documentation: Every variable within a dataset is enriched with detailed metadata, including measurement methods, units, provenance, and real-world context. This ensures clarity, reproducibility, and long-term usability.
Validated FAIR² compliance: The FAIR² specification includes structured validation mechanisms, allowing researchers to assess whether their data meets the required standards before sharing or publishing.
Ethical and transparent governance: FAIR² embeds principles of responsible data sharing, helping researchers comply with funder mandates, ethical guidelines, and regulatory requirements while ensuring transparent, trust-based data stewardship.
By extending FAIR principles with these additional capabilities, FAIR² makes research data more robust, machine-actionable, and aligned with the latest advancements in AI, automation, and global data-sharing initiatives.
Why should I use FAIR² Data Management?
FAIR² makes it easier to prepare, structure, and publish your data while increasing its visibility and impact. It helps researchers comply with funder mandates, improve data reproducibility, and maximize the usability of their datasets.
Features and benefits
What are the key features of FAIR² Data Management?
FAIR² Data package: Includes data cleaning, validation, and metadata enrichment.
Interactive AI data portal: Allows for visualization, analysis, and long-term data access.
Peer-reviewed Data articles: Enables researchers to publish datasets as citable, peer-reviewed articles in Frontiers journals.
AI data steward: Automates data structuring and assists with compliance.
How does FAIR² help with funder compliance?
Many research funders require open and well-documented datasets. FAIR² ensures your data meets these standards, making it easier to comply with policies from agencies like the NIH, EU Horizon, and others.
Participation and eligibility
Who can use FAIR² Data Management?
FAIR² is available to all researchers across disciplines who want to enhance the discoverability, usability, and impact of their data.
How do I participate in the community pilot?
Researchers can join the community pilot by completing the waiting list survey. Selected participants will receive early access to FAIR² services and expert guidance on preparing their datasets.
Publication and access
How does the peer-reviewed data article process work?
Once your dataset is curated and structured through FAIR², it can be submitted as a data article to a Frontiers journal. It will go through Frontiers' peer review process to ensure quality and compliance before receiving a DOI and publication.
Will my data be publicly accessible?
Yes. FAIR² is designed to support open science by ensuring that published datasets are accessible and reusable by the global research community. By default, all data is published under the same open license CC-BY 4.0 as Frontiers' articles.
How can I get started with FAIR² Data Management?
Sign up for the waiting list today to be considered for the community pilot.
For any further questions, please get in touch by email.