Declaration of GenAI
Our policy on the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence and AI-assisted technologies in scientific writing and the publication process.
Authors must declare the use of generative AI in scientific writing upon submission of the paper. The following guidance refers only to the writing process, and not to the use of AI tools to analyse and draw insights from data as part of the research process.
Authorship and Accountability
01AI Cannot Be an Author. AI tools and technologies such as Generative AI (e.g., Large Language Models) are not considered authors as they do not meet the requirements for intellectual contribution, accountability, or responsibility. Therefore, AI tools cannot be listed as authors on any manuscript.
- Full Responsibility of Authors: Authors are solely responsible for the accuracy, integrity, originality, and ethical soundness of their manuscript — including any content generated, edited, or enhanced using AI. Authors must verify the factual correctness of AI-generated content, including statements, citations, data, or figures.
- Human Oversight Is Required: AI tools must be used under direct human supervision. Authors must critically review and edit AI-generated material to ensure its alignment with scientific standards and ethical guidelines.
- No Co-authorship for AI: Authors must not list or cite AI and AI-assisted technologies as an author or co-author on the manuscript, since authorship implies responsibilities and tasks that can only be attributed to and performed by humans.
Transparency and Disclosure of AI Use
02Mandatory Disclosure: The use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in scientific writing must be declared by adding a statement at the end of the manuscript when the paper is first submitted. The statement will appear in the published work and should be placed in a new section before the references list.
- The name(s) of the AI tool(s) used (e.g., ChatGPT, GPT-4, Grammarly, Midjourney).
- The purpose(s) of using the AI tool(s) (e.g., language refinement, grammar check, data analysis, image generation).
- The extent of AI involvement, describing how the tool contributed to the manuscript.
- Acknowledgements section — for general writing assistance.
- Methods section — if AI was used for specific tasks like data analysis or coding.
- "Declaration of AI Use" section — either before the References section or in a footnote on the title page.
Section title: Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process.
Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used [NAME TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.
Permissible AI Uses (with Disclosure)
03Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies should only be used in the writing process to improve the readability and language of the manuscript. AI tools may be used in the following ways, provided there is full disclosure:
Prohibited Uses of AI
04The following uses of AI are strictly prohibited, regardless of disclosure:
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Generating Fictitious Content AI must never be used to create false data, fabricated research results, or non-existent references and citations.
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Plagiarism AI-generated content must be properly attributed if it draws from existing sources or intellectual property.
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Substituting Human Intellectual Contribution AI cannot perform the core intellectual work of research such as formulating hypotheses, designing experiments, interpreting findings, or drawing original conclusions.
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Violating Confidentiality Reviewers and editors must not use AI tools to process, summarize, or evaluate confidential manuscript content.
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Misrepresenting Research AI must not be used to intentionally mislead readers about research methods, results, or conclusions.
Use of AI by Editors and Reviewers
05Confidentiality: To protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and the intellectual property of authors, editors and reviewers are not permitted to use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies (including but not limited to ChatGPT or similar services) during the peer-review and manuscript evaluation process.
Consequences for Misuse of AI
06Violations of this policy may be treated as a breach of publication ethics. Any misuse or non-disclosure of generative AI will be investigated and may result in:
- !Rejection of the submitted manuscript prior to publication.
- !Retraction of the published article from the journal.
- !Banning of the authors from submitting future works to the journal.
- !Notification to the authors' institutions and relevant ethics committees.
Periodic Review and Updates
07This policy will be reviewed periodically and updated to reflect advancements in AI technology and evolving ethical guidelines in scholarly publishing. Authors and contributors are encouraged to stay informed about updates to this policy to ensure compliance with the latest standards and best practices in the use of AI in research and academic publishing.