AI Usage Policy

The journal establishes this policy on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative AI technologies to safeguard academic integrity, transparency, manuscript confidentiality, and accountability throughout the scholarly publishing process.

1. Use of AI by Authors

Authors may use generative AI tools to assist with specific aspects of scholarly writing, such as grammar correction, language editing, translation, and improving the clarity of presentation. However, AI must not replace authors’ intellectual contributions, scientific judgment, or responsibility for their work.

Authors are required to comply with the following provisions:

  1. Disclosure of AI use. The use of generative AI to assist in drafting or editing manuscript content must be transparently disclosed in the manuscript, in an AI-use declaration section or another section specified by the journal.

  2. Description of AI use. The disclosure should identify the AI tool or service, the purpose of its use, and the sections or stages of the work in which it was used.

  3. Verification of AI-generated output. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy of all facts, data, analyses, citations, references, images, and other manuscript content, including any errors or information generated inaccurately by AI.

  4. Originality and research integrity. AI must not be used to fabricate or manipulate data, research findings, images, references, or other forms of scientific evidence.

  5. AI cannot be listed as an author. AI tools and systems do not meet the criteria for authorship and must not be credited as authors or co-authors.

  6. Accountability for the manuscript. Authors remain responsible for the entire manuscript and its compliance with publication ethics, copyright, privacy, and other applicable requirements.

Limited AI use for spelling, grammar, or formatting checks does not necessarily require a separate declaration unless required by the journal. AI use that affects substantive content, analysis, interpretation, or the creation of manuscript materials must be disclosed. Disclosure of AI use does not guarantee manuscript acceptance.

2. Use of AI by the Editorial Team

The editorial team may use AI tools in a limited manner to support administrative editorial tasks, such as language checking, metadata management, formatting checks, and other administrative activities, provided that such use complies with the journal’s policies.

Editors are required to comply with the following provisions:

  1. Maintain manuscript confidentiality. Unpublished manuscripts, personal data, author information, and editorial communications must not be uploaded to public AI services or third-party platforms that do not ensure adequate confidentiality and data security.

  2. Do not delegate editorial decisions to AI. Decisions concerning manuscript suitability, rejection, revision, or acceptance must be made by authorized editors based on academic judgment and the peer-review process.

  3. Verify AI-generated output. Any AI-generated output used in editorial work must be reviewed by an editor to ensure its accuracy, relevance, and freedom from bias or error.

  4. Maintain independence and fairness. AI use must not replace editors’ professional judgment or result in discrimination, conflicts of interest, or unfair treatment of authors.

  5. Disclose substantive use. If AI is used to assist in preparing substantive evaluations, editorial recommendations, or communications that influence decision-making, the editor must disclose such use to the Editor-in-Chief or in accordance with the journal’s internal procedures.

Editors remain fully accountable for all editorial actions and decisions. AI must not be treated as an independent decision-maker in the publishing process.

3. Prohibition of AI Use by Peer Reviewers

To protect confidentiality, independence, and the integrity of the peer-review process, peer reviewers are prohibited from using generative AI tools to read, upload, input, process, summarize, analyze, or evaluate manuscripts under review, including any manuscript sections, tables, figures, data, or supplementary documents.

Peer reviewers are required to:

  1. Conduct reviews independently, using their own expertise and academic judgment.

  2. Refrain from uploading or entering manuscripts and related information into AI platforms, chatbots, or third-party services.

  3. Refrain from using AI to prepare review comments, recommendations, or assessments of assigned manuscripts.

  4. Maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and all information obtained during the review process.

  5. Provide objective, constructive assessments and disclose any conflicts of interest.

Peer reviewers remain responsible for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their review reports. Violations of this policy may result in the editor terminating the review process, replacing the reviewer, or taking other appropriate action in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics policies.

4. Compliance and Enforcement

The journal reserves the right to request clarification regarding AI use and to investigate suspected violations of this policy. Violations will be handled according to their severity and the journal’s applicable publication ethics procedures.

This policy aims to ensure that AI is used transparently and responsibly without compromising human judgment, academic integrity, confidentiality, or accountability in scholarly publishing.