Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

Researcher Publishers is committed to maintaining high standards of research integrity, transparency, originality, and accountability in scholarly publishing. Artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI, large language models (LLMs), chatbots, image generators, and other AI-assisted technologies may provide useful technical and linguistic support in research communication. However, their use must not replace human scholarly judgment, intellectual contribution, or accountability. This policy applies to manuscripts submitted to journals published by Researcher Publishers. Individual journals may establish additional discipline-specific or procedural requirements concerning AI use and disclosure.

Authorship and Scholarly Responsibility

AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship requires human intellectual contribution, responsibility, accountability, the ability to approve the final manuscript, and responsibility for the integrity of the published work. These responsibilities cannot be assigned to an AI tool or system. Researcher Publishers does not accept manuscripts in which substantive scholarly, scientific, analytical, interpretive, or argumentative content has been generated by AI in place of the intellectual contribution of the authors. Authors must not use AI tools to:

  1. generate or fabricate research data, findings, or results;
  2. generate substantive analyses, interpretations, arguments, or conclusions in place of scholarly judgment;
  3. invent, fabricate, or supply unverified citations or references;
  4. misrepresent AI-generated material as original scholarly contribution by the authors; or
  5. otherwise substitute AI-generated content for human critical thinking, expertise, analysis, or interpretation.

Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content, regardless of whether AI-assisted tools were used during manuscript preparation.

Permitted Technical and Linguistic Assistance

AI and automated tools may be used to support the technical and linguistic preparation of a manuscript, provided that such use does not alter the authenticity, intellectual contribution, or substantive meaning of the work. Permitted uses may include:

  1. checking grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language accuracy;
  2. improving clarity, readability, and expression;
  3. refining the structure, organization, and presentation of author-generated content;
  4. assisting with formatting and manuscript preparation;
  5. providing translation assistance for content originally developed by the authors; and
  6. formatting references that have already been identified and verified by the authors.

AI assistance must remain supportive rather than generative of the scholarly contribution. Authors must carefully review, edit, and verify all AI-assisted output to ensure that the original meaning is preserved and that no inaccurate, fabricated, biased, or misleading content has been introduced. AI tools must not be relied upon to identify, generate, or verify references in place of the authors. All citations and references must be independently checked against the original sources.

AI Used as Part of the Research Method

This policy does not prohibit the legitimate use of AI technologies as part of a research design or methodology. Where AI, machine-learning systems, large language models, automated analytical tools, or related technologies form part of the research method, their use must be academically justified and described transparently in the manuscript. Authors should provide sufficient information about the tool, model, version where applicable, procedures, inputs, validation, and human oversight to enable readers to understand and evaluate the methodological use of the technology. The use of AI as a research method does not remove the responsibility of authors for the validity, accuracy, interpretation, ethical compliance, and reporting of the research.

Images, Figures, Tables, and Data

AI tools may be used for non-substantive formatting or presentation improvements to figures and tables, provided that the underlying information, data, and meaning are not altered. AI must not be used to fabricate, manipulate, obscure, remove, introduce, or materially alter data, images, figures, tables, or research results in a manner that misrepresents the research record. Where AI-generated or AI-assisted visual or analytical material forms a legitimate part of the research methodology, its use must be fully disclosed and described in accordance with the requirements of the relevant journal and the research design.

Disclosure of AI Use

If an AI tool or AI-assisted technology is used in manuscript preparation, authors must provide a clear declaration. The declaration should specify:

  1. the full name of the AI tool or service;
  2. the version, provider, or developer, where available;
  3. the specific purpose for which the tool was used;
  4. the extent of its use and the sections or materials affected; and
  5. confirmation that the authors reviewed, edited, and verified the AI-assisted output and accept full responsibility for the final manuscript.

The declaration should appear under the AI Tool Use subsection of the Declaration section, unless otherwise specified by the relevant journal. A recommended declaration is:

During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [name of AI tool/service, version if available] to [describe the specific purpose, e.g., check grammar, improve language clarity and expression, refine the organization of author-generated text, provide translation assistance, or support formatting]. The tool was used in [identify the relevant sections or materials, where appropriate]. The author(s) reviewed, edited, and verified all AI-assisted output and take full responsibility for the content, accuracy, originality, and integrity of the submitted manuscript.

All manuscripts must include an AI Tool Use declaration. If no AI or AI-assisted tools were used, authors must state that no such tools were used during the preparation of the manuscript, unless otherwise specified by the relevant journal.

Confidentiality, Privacy, and Intellectual Property

Authors must not upload confidential, personally identifiable, proprietary, copyrighted, or otherwise protected data or materials to external AI systems unless they have the necessary authorization and appropriate safeguards are in place. The use of AI tools must comply with applicable requirements concerning research ethics, informed consent, privacy, data protection, confidentiality, copyright, and intellectual property.

Editors and reviewers must not upload submitted manuscripts, peer-review materials, unpublished data, or other confidential information to external AI systems where confidentiality and data protection cannot be assured. Any permitted use of AI during editorial or peer-review processes must comply with the policies of Researcher Publishers and the relevant journal.

Responsibility and Non-Compliance

Authors are responsible for ensuring:

  1. factual accuracy;
  2. validity of citations and references;
  3. originality of submitted content;
  4. authenticity of data, findings, analyses, and interpretations;
  5. absence of fabricated or misleading information; and
  6. compliance with relevant ethical, legal, and publication requirements.

Failure to disclose material AI use, misrepresentation of AI-generated content as original human scholarly work, fabrication of content through AI, or any use of AI that compromises research integrity may constitute a breach of publication ethics. Where concerns arise, Researcher Publishers may request additional information concerning AI use and may take appropriate editorial action in accordance with applicable academic integrity and publication malpractice policies. Such action may include rejection, withdrawal from consideration, correction, expression of concern, retraction, notification of relevant institutions, or other measures necessary to protect the scholarly record.