The Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence

Last Updated: July 2026

Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are tools, not legal or moral entities. Ultimate accountability for the validity, originality, ethics, and scientific integrity of the entire manuscript rests solely with the Human Author(s).

Definition and Scope

This policy governs the use of all AI-based technologies within the research, writing, visualization, and evaluation phases of a manuscript. We distinguish between two categories of AI:

  • Generative AI (GenAI): Systems capable of producing new content, such as substantive text, programming code, images, or other media (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Midjourney).

  • Non-Generative AI-Assisted Tools: Software used for technical, non-content-generating tasks, such as reference management (e.g., Zotero, Mendeley), standard spell-checking, and conventional statistical analysis.

Authorship Status

AI tools do not meet the criteria for authorship and must not be listed as an author or co-author. Authorship requires legal and ethical accountability, the capacity to give consent to publishing agreements, and the ability to provide contractual assurances regarding the integrity of the work—responsibilities unique to human beings.

Use of AI for Text, Language, and Translation

A. Substantive Content Generation

Authors are prohibited from using GenAI to draft substantial sections of the manuscript (such as core arguments, critical discussion, or scientific conclusions) in the absence of independent empirical data. If GenAI is used to assist in structuring the paper or summarizing preliminary literature, this process must be transparently disclosed.

B. Copyediting and Language Refinement

The use of AI tools to refine grammar, improve stylistic clarity, or enhance readability is fully permitted.

Authors must retain the original version (before AI editing) and the revised final version of the manuscript. These files must be made available to the Editorial Office upon request during the evaluation process.

C. Translation of Own Work

Authors are allowed to use AI tools to assist in translating their own original work.

If the article is a translation of the author's previously published work in another language, the author must ensure they hold the appropriate rights or permissions to republish it to avoid self-plagiarism or copyright infringement.

Authors must retain both the original source-language text and the AI-translated text for verification purposes.

AI in Research Methodology and Data Analysis

If AI tools are utilized as part of the research methodology (e.g., for big data analysis, qualitative data coding, or simulations):

  1. Authors must provide full technical details in the Methods section, including the specific algorithm, model name, version number, and operational parameters used.

  2. Authors must document and retain full records of all prompts entered into the AI system. These prompt logs must be available for submission as supplementary files if requested by reviewers or editors.

  3. Research involving AI must adhere to relevant international reporting guidelines, such as CONSORT-AI, STARD-AI, or TRIPOD-AI.

Visual and Image Integrity

A. Research Data Visualization

The use of AI tools to assist in creating charts, flowcharts, or visualizations from the authors' own original raw data is permitted, provided the AI does not alter or manipulate the actual data values.

Any image generated or enhanced by AI must include a clear declaration in the figure legend, specifying the tool name and version. Authors must retain the record of the prompts used to generate the image.

B. Experimental and Clinical Imagery (Strictly Prohibited)

The use of GenAI to manipulate, augment, conceal, move, remove, or introduce features into experimental or clinical images (including but not limited to microscopy, immunostaining, electrophoretic gels, immunoblots, and clinical diagnostic images) is strictly prohibited.

Specific Rules for Gels/Blots:

  • Any adjustments to contrast or brightness must be applied uniformly to the entire image and must not obscure or eliminate background data or other bands.

  • If lanes from the same gel are spliced together, this must be clearly indicated in the figure using dividing lines, and loading controls must always be included. Splicing lanes from different gels is strictly forbidden.

  • The Editorial Office reserves the right to request original, uncropped, and unprocessed high-resolution raw images at any time.

Confidentiality and Data Protection

To protect intellectual property and participant privacy, unpublished manuscripts must never be uploaded to public AI platforms that store or reuse input data to train their models. Authors may only use local, enterprise-grade, or closed-loop AI platforms that guarantee encrypted data confidentiality.

The peer-review process is strictly confidential. Editors and reviewers are forbidden from uploading submitted manuscripts or parts of them into AI systems for evaluation, translation, or summarizing, to prevent the leakage of unpublished research ideas.

Standard Author Declaration

Every submitted manuscript must include an AI usage statement, either at the methodology or acknowledgment. If no AI tools were used, authors can state: "No AI systems or generative tools were used in the research and writing of this manuscript."

If AI was used, the following format must be adopted:

During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) utilized [Tool Name & Version, e.g., OpenAI's ChatGPT version 4o] to [State the specific purpose, e.g., refine the English grammar in the Discussion section / translate the manuscript from the original Indonesian draft]. The author(s) affirm that all content has been reviewed and verified for accuracy, and the author(s) assume full responsibility for the integrity of the entire content of this article.

Policy Enforcement and Right to Appeal (Dispute Resolution)

The journal utilizes AI-detection software during the initial screening phase. The discovery of substantial, undisclosed AI-generated content may result in immediate manuscript rejection or subsequent retraction if the article has already been published.

We acknowledge that AI-detection tools are prone to errors and false positives. If a manuscript triggers an AI warning, authors have the right to submit a formal appeal by providing the following verifiable evidence:

  • Tracked changes or version history documentation showing the manual writing process.
  • Original drafts before and after AI application (for language refinement/translation claims).
  • Prompt logs demonstrating transparency in the methodology.

The Journal’s Ethics Committee will manually evaluate the provided evidence before rendering a final decision.