Generative AI Use Policy

Jurnal Edunitro recognizes that advances in artificial intelligence or Artificial Intelligence (AI), including generative AI technologies and Large Language Models (LLMs), can provide support at various stages of manuscript preparation. To uphold transparency, accountability, and the integrity of scholarly work, the use of AI technologies in manuscript preparation must be undertaken ethically, judiciously, and responsibly.

This policy aims to provide clear guidance to authors, reviewers, and editors regarding the use of AI in the scholarly publishing process.

1. Authorship and Author Responsibilities

AI technologies, including Large Language Models, generative AI, and AI-based software, must not be listed as authors of a manuscript. AI lacks the capacity to assume direct responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, originality, or ethical aspects of scholarly work.

Full responsibility for the manuscript remains with the human authors. This includes all text, data, figures, tables, analyses, interpretations, and conclusions, including any content created, revised, or enhanced with the assistance of AI technologies.

Authors must carefully review all AI-generated outputs to ensure that the information used is accurate, accountable, original, and consistent with applicable research ethics principles. Authors are also responsible for verifying every statement, reference, dataset, or visual produced or assisted by AI.

The use of AI must always remain under the supervision and control of the authors. Any material generated with AI assistance must be critically reviewed, edited, and, where necessary, revised to ensure compliance with applicable scholarly, methodological, and ethical standards.

2. Transparency and Disclosure of AI Use

Authors are expected to provide honest and transparent disclosure when AI or AI-assisted technologies are used in the preparation of a manuscript.

The disclosure should include, at a minimum:

1. The name of the AI tool or technology used, such as ChatGPT (OpenAI), Google Gemini, Grammarly, GPT-4, Midjourney, or other AI-based tools.

2. The purpose of using AI, such as language editing, grammar checking, improving clarity of writing, preparing an initial draft of a specific section, developing ideas, assisting with data analysis, generating visuals, or other uses.

3. The nature and extent of AI involvement, including a brief explanation of how the technology was used and which parts of the manuscript were affected.

Disclosure of AI use may be included in an appropriate section, such as:

1. Acknowledgments, particularly when AI is used for language assistance or general editing;

2. Methods, when AI is used as part of the research procedure, such as data analysis, programming, or data processing;

3. Declaration of AI Use, which may be placed before the References section or in a footnote on the title page, in accordance with the journal's manuscript format.

Example of a Declaration of AI Use

“Portions of this manuscript were prepared, edited, or refined with the assistance of [name of AI tool, e.g., ChatGPT (OpenAI)]. The tool was used to [state the purpose of use, e.g., improve grammar and clarity of writing or assist in preparing an initial draft of the Introduction]. All AI-generated output was reviewed, edited, and verified by the authors. The authors take full responsibility for the content and final version of the manuscript.”

For images or visuals:

“Figure X was created with the assistance of [name of AI tool, e.g., Midjourney]. The authors provided the instructions or prompt and reviewed and modified the resulting output to ensure its appropriateness, accuracy, and relevance to the research.”

3. Permitted Uses of AI

AI may be used as an assisting tool provided that its use is responsible and transparently disclosed, including for the following purposes:

1. Language and Grammar Editing

Assisting in improving readability, clarity, spelling, grammar, and sentence structure without altering the scientific substance of the research.

2. Assistance in Drafting

Assisting in preparing an initial draft of limited sections, such as portions of the Introduction or Discussion, particularly with regard to language and organization. Such output must be reviewed, edited, and appropriately adapted by the authors.

3. Idea Development and Manuscript Organization

Assisting with brainstorming, developing preliminary ideas, refining research questions, or organizing the structure and flow of the manuscript.

4. Data Analysis and Visualization Assistance

AI may be used to support data processing, analysis, programming, or data visualization, provided that these processes can be examined, explained, and reproduced by the authors. Such use must be adequately described in the Methods section, including the tools used and the verification or validation procedures applied.

5. Assistance in Understanding and Summarizing Literature

AI may be used to assist in understanding or summarizing the literature. However, authors must still read and verify the original sources, ensure the accuracy of the information, and provide appropriate citations for all sources used.

4. Prohibited Uses of AI

To safeguard the integrity of research and scholarly publishing, the following uses of AI are not permitted:

1. Fabrication or Falsification of Information

Using AI to generate fabricated data, research results that were never obtained, manipulated information, or false references and citations.

2. Plagiarism and Misrepresentation

Presenting AI-generated output as original work without appropriate disclosure, or using copyrighted or otherwise protected material without proper attribution.

3. Replacing the Intellectual Role and Contribution of the Authors

Delegating to AI the core research tasks that require human scholarly judgment, such as determining the original scientific contribution, selecting the research design, interpreting the principal findings, or drawing scientific conclusions.

4. Violation of Confidentiality

Reviewers and editors must not upload confidential manuscripts, including manuscripts undergoing peer review, to public AI systems or AI platforms that do not provide adequate security and confidentiality safeguards. Such actions may pose risks to confidentiality, copyright, and the integrity of the peer-review process.

5. Use for Misleading Readers

AI must not be used for the purpose of concealing, manipulating, or misrepresenting the research methods, data, analyses, results, or conclusions.

5. Actions in Response to Policy Violations

Compliance with this AI use policy forms part of the ethical responsibilities associated with scholarly publishing. Violations of this policy may be addressed seriously according to the nature and severity of the violation.

Possible actions include:

1. Rejection of the manuscript while it is under review;

2. Retraction or withdrawal of the published article if a violation is identified after publication;

3. Restriction or prohibition of future manuscript submissions to the journal; and/or

4. Notification of the author's institution, funding agency, or relevant ethics or professional committee, where deemed necessary.

Each case will be considered based on its specific circumstances and the severity of the violation, with reference to applicable publication ethics principles.

6. Policy Review and Updates

This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains consistent with developments in AI technology, research practices, and ethical standards in scholarly publishing.

Jurnal Edunitro encourages all authors, reviewers, and editors to use AI technologies in an open, critical, responsible, and ethical manner, while maintaining scientific integrity and human responsibility as the fundamental principles throughout the publication process.