Generative AI Policy

JCIA · Responsible Scholarly Practice

Generative AI Policy

JCIA supports the responsible and transparent use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in scholarly publishing. These tools may assist scholarly work, but they must not replace human judgement, critical thinking, expertise, or accountability.

Core Principle Human oversight and accountability must remain central throughout the research and publication process.

Manuscript Preparation

For Authors

Authors may use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies as supporting tools when preparing a manuscript. Such tools must not replace the authors' own intellectual contribution, scientific judgement, analysis, interpretation, or conclusions. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and final content of the submitted work.

Responsibility

Human Oversight

Authors must carefully review, verify, and edit AI-assisted content. Factual information, references, interpretations, and conclusions must be independently checked before submission.

Authorship

AI Is Not an Author

Generative AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship requires human accountability for the accuracy, integrity, approval, and submission of the work.

Transparency

Disclosure of AI Use

Substantive use of generative AI in manuscript preparation must be disclosed. Authors should identify the AI tool used, its purpose, and confirm that the resulting content was reviewed and verified.

Research Methods

AI Used in Research

Where AI forms part of the research methodology, analysis, modelling, coding, or other research procedures, its use should be reported clearly and reproducibly in the Methods section.

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Figures, Images & Visualisation

AI-Generated and AI-Assisted Visual Content

Permitted with Disclosure

Explanatory Visuals

AI tools may assist in creating explanatory visuals such as conceptual diagrams, workflows, decision trees, timelines, or schematic illustrations when the content is accurate and appropriately reviewed by the authors.

The use of AI should be disclosed in the relevant figure caption and in the manuscript's AI declaration.

Reproducibility Required

Data Visualisation

AI-assisted plots, charts, graphs, heatmaps, and other data visualisations are acceptable only when they are directly derived from genuine underlying data using reproducible analytical, computational, or statistical methods.

Relevant AI use must be described in the Methods section.

Not Permitted

Fabricated or Altered Research Evidence

Generative AI must not be used to fabricate results, invent or alter underlying research data, or create or manipulate primary research images that represent observations or experimental evidence.

Basic spelling, grammar, and punctuation checks that do not generate or substantially alter scholarly content do not require an AI declaration.

Peer Review Integrity

For Reviewers

Protect Manuscript Confidentiality

Reviewers must not upload submitted manuscripts, manuscript extracts, unpublished data, or other confidential material into generative AI systems where confidentiality and data protection cannot be assured.

Independent Review Is Required

AI must not replace the reviewer's own critical assessment, expertise, or recommendation. Reviewers remain fully responsible for their evaluation and review report.

Limited Supportive Use

AI may be used only in a supportive capacity, such as improving the language or structure of a review report or assisting with a general literature search, provided manuscript confidentiality is maintained.

Transparency

Where generative AI has substantively assisted the preparation of a review report, the reviewer should disclose the tool used and the purpose of its use.

Editorial Integrity

For Editors

Confidentiality Must Be Maintained

Editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and must not upload confidential manuscript content into generative AI systems where confidentiality and data protection cannot be assured.

Editorial Decisions Remain Human

Generative AI must not replace editorial judgement, critical assessment, or final decision-making. Editors remain accountable for all editorial decisions and communications with authors.

Supportive Use Only

AI tools may be used only for limited supportive tasks that do not compromise manuscript confidentiality and remain subject to appropriate human oversight.

Transparency

AI Disclosure Statement

Authors who use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies substantively during manuscript preparation should include a declaration before the References section.

Suggested declaration

During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [NAME OF AI TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE]. The author(s) reviewed and verified the resulting content and take full responsibility for the final content of the manuscript.