Use of generative AI

Statement on the Use of Generative AI

 

  1. Scope and Purpose

This statement governs the ethical use, disclosure, and oversight of Generative AI (GenAI) technologies in all stages of JESR’s publishing workflow, submission, peer review, editorial decision-making, and post-publication. It is grounded in the principles promoted by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and complements JESR’s existing Author Guidelines and Publication Ethics Policy.

  1. Definition

Generative AI refers to software or models capable of producing text, images, data visualisations, code, or other content in response to user prompts (e.g., ChatGPT, DALL-E, Midjourney, Bard, Claude).

  1. Guiding Principles

Principle

JESR Standard

Ethical Use

GenAI may assist with routine tasks—language polishing, figure preparation, reference formatting—provided it does not replace human intellectual contribution or fabricate content.

Transparency

Any use of GenAI must be fully disclosed in the manuscript.

Authorship & Accountability

GenAI tools cannot be listed as authors. Human authors retain sole responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the work.

Peer-Review Integrity

Reviewers who employ GenAI for summarizing or language assistance must inform the editorial team. Critical judgement must remain entirely human.
  1. Acceptable Uses of GenAI
  • Language refinement – grammar, syntax, or stylistic edits.
  • Data visualization – AI-generated charts/figures if underlying data and methods are transparently reported and verified by the authors.
  • Idea exploration – brainstorming research angles or structuring outlines, provided the final hypotheses, analyses, and conclusions are the authors’ own.
  1. Prohibited Uses of GenAI
  • Fabrication or falsification – generating or altering data, references, or findings.
  • Plagiarism – incorporating AI-produced text or images without proper acknowledgement.
  • Misrepresentation – presenting AI outputs as original scholarly insight or creative work produced by the authors.
  1. Mandatory Disclosure

Every submission that has employed GenAI must include a brief statement in the “Acknowledgements” section or a dedicated “AI-Use Disclosure,” specifying:

  • The name and version of the tool(s) used.
  • The precise task(s) for which the tool was applied.

Example:

“During the copy-editing stage, the authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI, May 2025 version) to improve grammatical clarity. No AI tools were used to generate research data, interpret results, or draft substantive content.”

  1. Editorial Oversight and Verification

Editors will review AI-use disclosures and, when necessary, deploy plagiarism-detection or image-forensics tools. Manuscripts with undisclosed or suspicious AI-generated content may be returned for clarification, placed under additional review, or rejected.

  1. Consequences of Non-Compliance

Violations of this policy constitute ethical misconduct. JESR may take any of the following actions, consistent with COPE guidelines:

  • Rejection prior to publication.
  • Retraction or expression of concern after publication.
  • Notification of the authors’ institution(s) or funder(s).
  • Temporary or permanent submission bans for responsible authors or reviewers.
  1. Policy Review

Because AI technologies evolve rapidly, JESR will revisit and, if necessary, revise this statement at least annually. Updates will be announced on the journal’s website and in the “News & Policies” section of future issues.

 

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to familiarize themselves with this policy and adhere to it in full when contributing to JESR.