Policies on Generative AI
Policies on Generative AI
Currently, other countries are seeing rapid growth in the use of generative AI tools for content creation. Generative AI tools are a type of artificial intelligence technology that can produce various types of content, including text, images, audio, and synthetic data. Examples of such AI tools include ChatGPT, NovelAI, Jasper AI, Rytr AI, DALL-E, DeepSeek, Gemini, Canva, Copilot, and many others. These policies cover the use of AI tools in content creation by all participants in the journal’s editorial process, including authors, reviewers, and editors. They aim to ensure transparency and disclosure regarding the role of AI, review authorship categories, address quality control and verification, and promote awareness initiatives.
Ethics of AI Tool Use
The use of AI tools must be clearly stated in a scientific article if they were used for data analysis, text generation, or any other purposes. The use of AI does not relieve authors of responsibility for the originality and accuracy of the material. It is prohibited to use AI tools to manipulate data, falsify results, or distort information to exaggerate the significance of research findings. The use of AI must not violate copyright laws, ethical standards, or principles of scientific integrity, including accidental duplication of text generated by AI.
For Authors
Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their works. Artificial intelligence cannot be listed as an author of an article, as it lacks subjectivity and cannot be held accountable for the content it generates.
Authors must disclose the use of AI and AI-based technologies in their manuscripts, and a corresponding statement will be published in the published work. A statement regarding the use of these technologies promotes transparency and trust among authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and stakeholders, and facilitates compliance with the terms of use of the relevant tool or technology.
Generative AI tools may be used in academic work to improve the readability and language of the manuscript, including English grammar, syntax, and spelling. If authors use generative AI technologies and AI-based technologies during the writing process, these technologies should be used solely to improve the readability and language of the work. The use of the technology must be carried out under human supervision and control, and authors must carefully review and edit the output, as AI can generate authoritative-sounding results that may be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. Authors bear ultimate responsibility for the content of the work.
Authors may omit this information if non-generative AI was used or if, when using generative AI, there was no significant modification of the manuscript’s content, for example:
-basic grammar-checking tools were used;
-only a few words that did not alter the overall meaning were replaced in the manuscript text;
-a general literature search was conducted using AI without interpretation or data synthesis;
-the order and format of literature sources were corrected without recommendations or generation of sources;
- general image editing was performed without modifying the images (cropping, increasing contrast, etc.).
The editorial board may request additional information regarding the use of AI to ensure transparency and compliance with ethical standards.
AI tools may be used for statistical processing of data variables, in formal study design, or in research methods. If AI or AI-based tools are used in this context, they must be described in a reproducible manner as part of the study methodology, with details provided in the “Experimental Section (Materials and Methods)” section. This should include an explanation of how the AI tools were used, the name of the model or tool, its version and update numbers, as well as the manufacturer (e.g., in APA style): OpenAI (2023). ChatGPT (March 14 version) [Large Language Model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat).
In such cases, authors must declare the use of generative AI tools by adding an appropriate statement at the end of the manuscript (or in the methods section) upon initial submission. The statement will be published in the final work. Example placement:
- New section title: Statement on the use of generative AI tools: In preparing this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for the purpose of [REASON]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as necessary and bear full responsibility for the content of the published article.
This declaration does not apply to the use of basic tools, such as grammar, spelling, and citation checkers. This means that the use of AI technologies must be accompanied by human oversight and control. Authors must carefully review and edit the results, as text generated by AI can often be inaccurate, incomplete, or biased. Authors bear full responsibility for the content of their work.
The use of generative AI tools to create or modify images in submitted manuscripts is not permitted. This may include enhancing, blurring, moving, removing, or adding specific details to an image or figure. Adjusting brightness, contrast, or color balance is permissible as long as it does not blur or remove any information present in the original.
This provision does not apply to the creation of graphical abstracts for articles.
For reviewers
Peer review is the cornerstone of the journal’s editorial process. The journal *Fundamental and Experimental Biology* adheres to the highest standards of integrity in this process. The peer review of a scientific manuscript entails a responsibility that can only be entrusted to a human being. Reviewers must not use generative artificial intelligence tools to assist in the scientific review of an article, as the critical thinking and original assessment required for peer review are beyond the capabilities of this technology, and there is a risk that the technology will generate incorrect, incomplete, or biased conclusions about the manuscript. The reviewer is responsible for the content of the review report.
When a researcher is asked to review another researcher’s article, the manuscript must be treated as a confidential document. Reviewers must not upload the submitted manuscript or any part of it into a generative AI tool, as this may violate the authors’ confidentiality and intellectual property rights, and, if the article contains personal information, may violate data privacy rights.
These confidentiality requirements apply to the review report as well, since it may contain confidential information about the manuscript and/or the authors. For this reason, reviewers must not upload their review report to an AI tool, even if done solely for the purpose of improving language and readability.
For Editors
Managing the editorial evaluation of a scientific manuscript involves a responsibility that can only be entrusted to a human. Editors should not use generative AI tools to assist in the evaluation process or in making decisions regarding a manuscript, as the critical thinking and original assessment required for this work are beyond the capabilities of this technology, and there is a risk that the technology will generate incorrect, incomplete, or biased conclusions about the manuscript. The editor is responsible for the editorial process, the final decision, and communicating it to the authors.
A submitted manuscript must be treated as a confidential document. Editors must not upload a submitted manuscript or any part thereof into a generative AI tool, as this may violate the authors’ confidentiality and intellectual property rights, and, if the article contains personal information, may violate data privacy rights.
This confidentiality requirement applies to all communication regarding the manuscript, including any notifications or decision letters, as they may contain confidential information about the manuscript and/or the authors. For this reason, editors must not upload their letters to an AI tool, even if done solely for the purpose of improving language and readability.
Transparency of AI Use
Authors are required to specify which AI tools were used in the preparation of the article and at which specific stage (e.g., text generation, data processing and analysis, image generation, etc.). Upon publication, the article must clearly indicate which parts of the work were performed manually by the authors and which were performed using AI. The text of the article must include information describing the contribution of AI to the research. Any content created using AI must be verified and additionally checked by the authors to eliminate the risk of incorrect interpretation of data or context.
Authors must ensure compliance with all licenses and copyrights related to the use of AI. The use of AI must not violate the regulatory acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan, intellectual property laws, or the University’s internal rules for the use of AI.
Verification of Publication Originality
The editorial board of the scientific journal reserves the right to use specialized tools to verify the uniqueness of publication texts, including the analysis of data and facts generated using AI. The editorial board of the scientific journal reserves the right to request additional information regarding the use of AI tools during the expert evaluation or peer review of a publication. The editorial board reserves the right to reject an article if information regarding the use of AI tools has not been provided. If violations of the rules for using AI tools in the writing of a scientific article are detected, the editorial board of the scientific journal reserves the right to return the study for revision or to refuse publication.
