Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy
The International Journal of Social Exploration (IJSoE) recognizes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies may support certain aspects of research, writing, editing, analysis, and scholarly communication. Their use, however, must not compromise authorship responsibility, research integrity, accuracy, confidentiality, transparency, or ethical standards.
AI Tools Cannot Be Authors
AI systems, generative AI tools, chatbots, or similar technologies must not be listed as authors or co-authors.
Authorship requires human responsibility, accountability, approval of the final manuscript, and the ability to respond to questions concerning the integrity of the work. These responsibilities cannot be assigned to an AI system.
Responsibility of Authors
Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to the journal, including text, interpretations, data analysis, tables, figures, references, citations, translations, summaries, or other material generated or assisted by AI tools.
Authors must independently verify the accuracy, originality, relevance, and reliability of AI-assisted content before submission.
The use of AI does not reduce or transfer the author's responsibility for errors, fabricated information, inaccurate citations, plagiarism, biased interpretation, or other problems in the manuscript.
Disclosure of AI Use
Authors should transparently disclose the use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies where such tools have made a material contribution to the preparation, analysis, interpretation, presentation, or writing of the manuscript.
The disclosure should, where relevant, identify:
- the AI tool or system used;
- the purpose for which it was used; and
- the nature of its contribution to the work.
Routine use of basic spelling, grammar, formatting, reference-management, or similar assistive tools may not normally require specific disclosure unless their use materially affects the scholarly content.
AI Use in Research and Data Analysis
Where AI tools are used as part of the research methodology, data analysis, coding, classification, modelling, image generation, or other substantive research process, authors should describe their use with sufficient transparency to allow appropriate scholarly evaluation.
Authors should retain appropriate documentation of important AI-assisted research procedures where reasonably necessary for verification or editorial assessment.
Accuracy of References and Evidence
Authors must verify all references, quotations, data, factual statements, and other evidence produced or suggested by AI systems.
Fabricated, unverifiable, misleading, or inaccurately attributed references, quotations, data, findings, or evidence are not acceptable.
Confidentiality and Privacy
Authors must not upload confidential, personally identifiable, sensitive, restricted, proprietary, or ethically protected research data to external AI systems unless they have appropriate authorization and the use complies with relevant ethical, legal, institutional, and data-protection requirements.
Authors remain responsible for protecting research participants and confidential information.
AI-Generated Images and Other Content
Where AI-generated or AI-assisted images, figures, illustrations, audio, video, or other media are included in a submission, authors should disclose their use where relevant and ensure that the material does not infringe copyright, privacy, confidentiality, or other rights.
The Editorial Team may request clarification or supporting information concerning such material.
Use of AI by Reviewers
Peer-review manuscripts and associated materials are confidential.
Reviewers should not upload manuscripts, unpublished data, figures, reviewer reports, or other confidential submission materials into external generative AI or third-party AI systems where confidentiality, privacy, intellectual-property rights, or data security cannot be assured.
Reviewers remain personally responsible for the content, accuracy, independence, and integrity of their review.
Use of AI by Editors
Editors and editorial staff must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and peer-review materials.
Confidential submission content should not be entered into external AI systems where doing so could compromise confidentiality, privacy, intellectual-property rights, or data security.
Editorial decisions must remain under appropriate human editorial responsibility.
Prohibited Uses
AI tools must not be used to:
- fabricate or falsify research data, findings, evidence, quotations, or references;
- misrepresent AI-generated material as independently produced human research;
- conceal plagiarism or inappropriate text reuse;
- manipulate images, data, or evidence in a misleading manner;
- create fraudulent reviewer identities or manipulate peer review; or
- compromise participant confidentiality, privacy, or other protected information.
Editorial Assessment
The journal does not treat the use of AI tools, by itself, as evidence of misconduct.
Concerns will be evaluated according to the nature of the AI use, the level of disclosure, its effect on the reliability and originality of the work, and the available evidence.
The Editorial Team may request clarification, additional disclosure, supporting documentation, revision, or other appropriate action where concerns arise.
Serious or deceptive misuse of AI may result in rejection, correction, retraction, or other action consistent with the journal's Publication Ethics and Research Integrity policies.
Evolving Policy
AI technologies and scholarly publishing practices continue to develop rapidly. The journal may revise this policy when necessary to reflect technological, ethical, legal, or scholarly developments.
