Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

1. Purpose

This journal is committed to upholding the standards of publication ethics as promoted by the Committee on Publication Ethics. The purpose of this policy is to provide clear guidance on the ethical, transparent, and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation of scholarly manuscripts.

This policy aims to:

  • Protect the integrity of the scholarly record

  • Prevent fabrication, falsification, and misrepresentation of research findings

  • Ensure that human authors remain fully accountable for all submitted content

2. Scope of Application

This policy applies to all submitted materials, including but not limited to:

  • Manuscript text (abstract, main text, references)

  • Tables, figures, and mathematical expressions

  • Statistical analyses, simulations, and models

  • Source code and computational workflows

3. Acceptable Use of AI

Authors may use AI tools under the following conditions, provided full transparency is maintained.

3.1 Language and Editorial Support

AI tools may be used for:

  • Grammar correction

  • Language polishing

  • Readability improvement

AI tools must not be used to generate original scientific content, interpret results, or draw conclusions.

3.2 Code and Technical Assistance

AI tools may assist in:

  • Drafting code templates

  • Syntax correction

  • Debugging suggestions

Authors remain fully responsible for:

  • Validating the correctness of code

  • Verifying the reproducibility of results

3.3 Exploratory Research Support

AI tools may be used for:

  • Preliminary idea generation

  • Exploratory data inspection

  • Methodological brainstorming

Final analytical decisions and interpretations must be performed and verified by the authors.

4. Prohibited Uses of AI

The following practices are strictly prohibited:

  • Submission of AI-generated data without explicit disclosure and validation

  • Use of AI tools to generate fictitious or unverifiable references

  • Use of AI to fabricate statistical results or experimental findings

  • Listing AI tools as authors or co-authors

AI systems cannot be held accountable and therefore do not meet authorship criteria.

5. Mandatory AI Use Disclosure

All submissions must include an AI Use Statement. This should be placed in the Acknowledgements or a dedicated section.

Recommended Statements

Example 1 – Language Support Only

AI tools (e.g., language models) were used solely for grammar and language editing. The authors take full responsibility for the scientific content.

Example 2 – Code Assistance

AI tools were used to assist in drafting code. All code and results were independently verified and validated by the authors.

Example 3 – No AI Use

No AI tools were used in the preparation, analysis, or writing of this manuscript.

Failure to provide an AI Use Statement may result in desk rejection.

6. Author Responsibilities

Authors must ensure that:

  • All AI-assisted content is accurate and verifiable

  • Data, methods, and results are reproducible

  • Proper attribution and citations are provided

  • The use of AI complies with institutional and international research ethics standards

Use of AI does not diminish the responsibility of the authors for the integrity of the work.

7. Editorial and Reviewer Responsibilities

Editors and reviewers may:

  • Request clarification regarding AI use

  • Require raw data, code, or documentation for verification

  • Use AI-detection tools as screening aids (not as the sole basis for decisions)

Decisions must be based on scholarly merit and ethical compliance.

8. Handling of Misconduct

Suspected breaches of this policy will be handled in accordance with COPE flowcharts and guidance. The journal reserves the right to:

  • Reject manuscripts prior to review

  • Retract published articles

  • Notify authors’ institutions in cases of serious ethical violations

9. Policy Review and Updating

This policy will be reviewed periodically to remain consistent with evolving guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics and international best practices.