AI Policy

The Journal recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies are increasingly used in research, academic writing, editing, and scholarly communication.

The Journal permits the responsible use of AI tools, provided that their use does not compromise research integrity, originality, transparency, confidentiality, authorship, or accountability.

Authors, reviewers, and editors remain fully responsible for their respective work and decisions.

1. Use of AI by Authors

Authors may use AI-assisted tools for appropriate purposes, such as:

·         language improvement and grammar correction;

·         translation;

·         formatting and editorial assistance;

·         improving clarity and readability; and

·         other limited forms of writing assistance.

Authors remain responsible for verifying and approving all content generated or modified with the assistance of AI.

AI tools must not replace the authors' scholarly judgment, critical analysis, or responsibility for the research.

2. Disclosure of AI Use

Authors should disclose the use of AI or AI-assisted tools when the technology has made a substantive contribution to the content or preparation of the manuscript.

The disclosure should identify:

·         the AI tool or system used;

·         the purpose of its use; and

·         where or how it was used in the research or manuscript preparation.

A suitable disclosure may be included in the manuscript or in another location specified by the Journal.

Example

AI-Assisted Tools Disclosure: The authors used [AI tool name] for [specific purpose, e.g., language editing and grammar improvement]. The authors reviewed and verified all AI-assisted output and remain fully responsible for the final content of the manuscript.

Routine use of basic spelling, grammar, or formatting tools that does not materially contribute to the intellectual content of the manuscript may not require disclosure.

3. AI and Authorship

AI tools, including generative AI systems, cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.

Authorship requires human accountability for the research and manuscript.

Authors remain responsible for:

·         the accuracy of the content;

·         the originality of the work;

·         the integrity of the research;

·         the validity of citations and references;

·         the interpretation of findings; and

·         the final published version.

4. Accuracy and Verification

AI-generated or AI-assisted content may contain inaccurate information, fabricated references, unsupported claims, or other errors.

Authors must independently verify all AI-assisted content before including it in a manuscript.

Particular care must be taken with:

·         factual claims;

·         statistical information;

·         quotations;

·         citations and references;

·         research findings; and

·         technical or scientific statements.

Authors are responsible for any errors arising from the use of AI tools.

5. Originality and Plagiarism

The use of AI does not exempt authors from the Journal's Plagiarism Policy or other standards of academic integrity.

Authors must not use AI tools to generate, paraphrase, or transform material in a manner that results in plagiarism, inappropriate text reuse, fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of sources.

AI-generated content should not be presented as original scholarly work without appropriate human intellectual contribution and verification.

6. AI-Generated Images, Figures, and Other Content

Authors should disclose the use of generative AI in creating or substantially modifying images, figures, illustrations, datasets, or other research materials when such use is relevant to the scholarly content of the manuscript.

Authors must ensure that the use of AI-generated material does not infringe copyright, privacy, confidentiality, or other applicable rights.

The Journal may request additional information concerning the origin and use of AI-generated or AI-assisted materials.

7. Confidentiality and Sensitive Information

Authors must exercise caution when using external AI systems.

Confidential, personal, sensitive, proprietary, unpublished, or otherwise restricted information should not be entered into an AI system when doing so could compromise:

·         participant privacy;

·         research confidentiality;

·         institutional requirements;

·         intellectual property;

·         contractual obligations; or

·         applicable laws and regulations.

Authors remain responsible for protecting confidential research information.

8. Use of AI by Reviewers

Reviewers must not upload or submit unpublished manuscripts, reviewer reports, confidential editorial communications, or other protected information to generative AI systems or external AI tools where doing so could compromise confidentiality.

Reviewers must not use AI tools to replace their independent scholarly assessment of a manuscript.

Any use of AI-assisted tools by reviewers must comply with the Journal's confidentiality and peer-review requirements.

9. Use of AI by Editors

Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and editorial communications.

Editors must not use AI systems in a manner that exposes confidential manuscript content, reviewer information, or other protected information.

AI-assisted tools may be used for appropriate administrative or technical purposes where they do not compromise confidentiality, editorial independence, fairness, or research integrity.

AI must not replace the editor's independent judgment in making editorial decisions.

10. AI and Research Data

AI tools must not be used to fabricate, manipulate, falsify, or selectively alter research data or results.

Where AI is used as part of data analysis, coding, modeling, interpretation, or another substantive research process, authors should provide sufficient information about its use to ensure transparency and reproducibility where appropriate.

Authors remain responsible for the methodology, accuracy, interpretation, and validity of AI-assisted research outputs.

11. Editorial Assessment

The Journal may request clarification regarding the use of AI when there are reasonable concerns about:

·         originality;

·         authorship;

·         accuracy;

·         research integrity;

·         confidentiality;

·         undisclosed substantive AI use; or

·         compliance with this policy.

Failure to provide an adequate explanation may result in further editorial assessment or appropriate action under the Journal's publication ethics policies.

12. Policy Compliance

The responsible use of AI is permitted, but AI use must not compromise the principles of human accountability, transparency, originality, confidentiality, and research integrity.

The Journal reserves the right to update this policy as AI technologies and international standards of responsible scholarly publishing continue to evolve.