AI Tools Usage Policy

AI Tools Usage Policy

This policy aligns with COPE and ICMJE positions on artificial intelligence in research and publication.

Core Principles

  1. AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Authorship requires accountability and consent, which AI cannot provide.
  2. Authors are fully responsible for accuracy, integrity, and originality of all content, regardless of AI tool use.
  3. Disclosure is mandatory when AI tools have been used in manuscript preparation.

Permitted Uses

Language editing; grammar checking; translation assistance (with human verification); literature search assistance; data visualization; statistical tools with AI components.

Prohibited Uses

Generating primary intellectual content; fabricating citations or data; producing undisclosed AI-generated figures; circumventing plagiarism detection.

Disclosure Requirements

Authors must disclose in Methods or Acknowledgements: the AI tool name and version, its purpose, and extent of use. Example: "ChatGPT-4 (OpenAI, 2024) was used to assist with language editing. All content was reviewed and verified by the authors."

Reviewers and Editors

Reviewers and editors must not upload manuscript content to AI tools without explicit author consent. Submitted manuscripts are confidential documents.