Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
Responsible, transparent, and ethical use of artificial intelligence in scholarly publishing
IJDDPI recognises that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies are now widely used in research and scholarly communication. This policy explains what is permitted, what must be disclosed, and what is not allowed. It applies to authors, reviewers, and editors, and to every stage of the publication process.
Guiding principle: AI may support human work but must never replace human judgement. A named human being remains accountable for everything submitted, reviewed, decided, and published.
1. For Authors
Permitted Use in Manuscript Preparation
Authors may use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies for tasks such as synthesising literature, identifying gaps, generating and refining ideas, and improving language, clarity, and readability. Such use must remain under direct human oversight and must not replace the authors' critical thinking, subject expertise, analysis, or interpretation.
Author Responsibility
Authors remain fully responsible for the entire content of their manuscript, including AI-assisted content. Authors must verify the accuracy, completeness, impartiality, references, and originality of AI-generated output and ensure that confidential data, patient information, and intellectual property are not exposed.
AI Cannot Be an Author
Generative AI tools must not be listed or cited as an author or co-author. Authorship requires accountability for originality, accuracy, integrity, approval of the final manuscript, and responsibility for post-publication questions.
Declaration of AI Use
Authors must disclose the use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in manuscript preparation. The declaration should appear immediately before the reference list under the heading:
Declaration of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the manuscript preparation process
Suggested wording:
“During the preparation of this manuscript the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL / SERVICE, including version] 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.”
This declaration is not required for basic grammar, spelling, or reference-formatting tools, or where assistive technology is used solely for accessibility purposes. Where required, the declaration will be published with the article.
AI as Part of the Research Itself
Where AI or machine-learning methods form part of the research design, data collection, or analysis-such as AI-assisted image analysis, molecular modelling, virtual screening, formulation optimisation, or predictive ADMET work-the methods must be fully described in the Methods section, including the name, version, source, settings, and data used, so that the work can be reproduced.
2. Figures, Images, and Artwork
Explanatory & Conceptual Images
Generative AI may assist in producing explanatory illustrations that do not represent primary data, such as flow charts, decision trees, timelines, schematic diagrams, and experimental workflows. AI use must be disclosed in the figure caption and general AI declaration.
Data Visualisations
AI-assisted tools may generate plots, charts, graphs, and heatmaps derived directly from authors' underlying data, provided the analytical or statistical method is sound and reproducible. The underlying data must never be generated, extrapolated, embellished, or altered by AI.
Primary Research Images
Generative AI must not be used to create, alter, enhance, obscure, move, remove, or introduce features in images representing primary observed or experimental data, including microscopy, histology, gels, western blots, chromatograms, clinical scans, and patient or specimen photographs.
Routine image adjustments: Only established adjustments such as brightness, contrast, or colour balance applied to the whole image are acceptable, provided they do not obscure or misrepresent information. Original unprocessed files must be retained and provided to the Editorial Office on request.
Graphical Abstracts
General-purpose generative AI tools must not be used to produce graphical abstracts. Authors should use dedicated scientific illustration tools such as BioRender or Mind the Graph and ensure that the applicable licence permits publication.
Cover Art
Generative AI use for cover art or promotional imagery requires prior written agreement of the Editorial Office and publisher, together with confirmation that all necessary third-party permissions have been obtained and the tool is properly attributed.
3. For Reviewers
Confidentiality Comes First
Reviewers must not upload a manuscript or any part of it-including the abstract, figures, tables, or supplementary files-into a generative AI tool at any stage of peer review. Doing so may breach confidentiality, intellectual property, and data-privacy rights.
Permitted Supportive Use
AI may be used in a limited supportive capacity without disclosing manuscript content, such as improving the language of a review report already written by the reviewer or conducting general background literature searches. Critical assessment must remain the reviewer's own.
Reviewer Disclosure
Reviewers who use AI in preparing their report must disclose this use in the report. No disclosure is required for basic spelling and grammar checkers.
Choice of AI Tools
Where AI tools are used in review work, reviewers should use only tools that do not retain, reuse, share, or train on submitted content. Reviewers should check the tool's privacy policy and preferably use paid, enterprise, institutionally provided, or locally hosted models.
4. For Editors
Confidentiality
Editors must not upload manuscripts, confidential correspondence, or other confidential editorial material into generative AI tools. Evaluation, reviewer selection, assessment of reports, and final decisions must be performed by a human being.
Permitted Supportive Use
AI may be used in a limited supportive capacity without disclosing confidential content, for example to improve the language and structure of a decision letter drafted by the editor or for background literature searching.
Accountability
Editors remain fully responsible and accountable for the editorial process, final decisions, and communications sent to authors and reviewers in the journal's name.
5. Use of AI by the Journal
IJDDPI informs authors that AI-assisted tools may be used by the Editorial Office to support routine tasks such as technical checks on submissions, similarity screening for plagiarism, and research-integrity checks. Any such use is subject to human oversight, and no editorial decision on a manuscript is ever made by an automated system. Authors who wish to know whether an AI-assisted tool was used in handling their submission may contact the Editorial Office.
6. Breaches of this Policy
Suspected undisclosed, misleading, or inappropriate use of generative AI-including fabricated data, fabricated or misattributed references, manipulated images, or an AI-written manuscript presented as the authors' own-will be investigated in accordance with COPE guidance.
Depending on the findings, consequences may include a request for correction before further consideration, rejection of the manuscript, notification of the authors' institution, and, where the article has already been published, a correction, expression of concern, or retraction.
Questions About AI Use?
Questions about applying this policy to a particular manuscript should be directed to the Editorial Office before submission.
Last updated: 1 August 2026
