Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Auna Press recognizes the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including generative AI tools, in research, academic writing, data analysis, and scholarly publishing. AI tools may support authors and other participants in the publication process; however, their use must not compromise academic integrity, research ethics, originality, transparency, confidentiality, or accountability.

1. Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines for the responsible and transparent use of Artificial Intelligence and AI-assisted technologies in manuscripts submitted to and published by Auna Press.

The policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and other participants involved in the publication process.

2. AI as an Author

Artificial Intelligence tools, including generative AI systems, cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts published by Auna Press.

Authorship requires the ability to take responsibility for the research, manuscript, ethical conduct, accuracy, and integrity of the published work. AI systems cannot independently fulfill these responsibilities.

Human authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted for publication.

3. Use of AI by Authors

Authors may use AI tools for appropriate supporting purposes, such as:

  • language improvement and grammar correction;
  • translation assistance;
  • improving clarity and readability;
  • generating ideas or research questions;
  • assisting with coding or programming;
  • organizing information; and
  • other appropriate research-support activities.

Authors must carefully review and verify all AI-assisted output before including it in a manuscript.

AI-generated content must not be presented as independently verified scholarly work.

4. Disclosure of AI Use

Authors should disclose the use of AI or AI-assisted technologies when such use has materially contributed to the development of the manuscript, research analysis, generation of content, images, code, or other scholarly materials.

The disclosure should identify:

  • the AI tool or system used;
  • the purpose for which it was used; and
  • where appropriate, the extent or nature of its contribution.

A suitable statement may be included in the manuscript, for example:

"The authors used [name of AI tool] for [describe purpose]. All AI-assisted content was reviewed, verified, and edited by the authors, who remain fully responsible for the final content of this article."

Routine spelling, grammar, or formatting assistance may not require detailed disclosure unless otherwise required by the relevant journal.

5. Human Responsibility

Authors remain responsible for:

  • the accuracy of the manuscript;
  • the originality of the work;
  • the validity of research findings;
  • appropriate citation and attribution;
  • factual verification;
  • ethical compliance;
  • protection of confidential information; and
  • the final version submitted for publication.

AI-generated information should be independently checked because AI systems may produce inaccurate, incomplete, fabricated, or misleading information.

6. AI and Plagiarism

The use of AI does not exempt authors from Auna Press's plagiarism and academic-integrity requirements.

Authors must not use AI tools to:

  • reproduce unattributed copyrighted material;
  • conceal plagiarism;
  • generate misleading references;
  • fabricate quotations or sources;
  • manipulate similarity-checking systems; or
  • misrepresent another person's intellectual contribution as their own.

All sources and intellectual contributions must be appropriately acknowledged.

7. AI-Generated Images and Other Materials

AI-generated or AI-assisted images, figures, illustrations, audio, video, code, or other materials may be used only when their use is consistent with applicable copyright, licensing, ethical, and research-integrity requirements.

Authors should disclose material AI involvement in the creation or modification of such content when required.

AI-generated materials must not be presented as authentic research evidence, participant data, or documentary evidence when they are not.

8. AI and Research Data

Authors must not enter confidential, personally identifiable, sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise restricted research data into publicly accessible AI systems unless appropriate authorization, security, and legal safeguards are in place.

Researchers must ensure that the use of AI does not compromise:

  • participant privacy;
  • informed consent;
  • confidentiality;
  • data security;
  • intellectual property; or
  • institutional or legal requirements.

9. AI-Assisted Data Analysis

AI tools may be used to assist with data processing, statistical analysis, coding, visualization, or interpretation where scientifically appropriate.

However, authors remain responsible for verifying the methods, calculations, assumptions, outputs, and conclusions generated or assisted by AI systems.

The use of AI must not replace appropriate methodological validation or scholarly judgment.

10. AI Use by Reviewers

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of manuscripts and review materials.

Reviewers should not upload or submit unpublished manuscripts, confidential research data, reviewer reports, or other confidential materials to publicly accessible AI systems.

AI tools may not be used to replace the reviewer's independent scholarly judgment.

If AI-assisted tools are used during peer review where permitted, reviewers remain responsible for the confidentiality, accuracy, and integrity of their review.

11. AI Use by Editors

Editors may use appropriate AI-assisted technologies to support administrative or editorial tasks, provided that such use does not compromise manuscript confidentiality, author privacy, editorial independence, or publication ethics.

AI tools must not replace the editor's responsibility for editorial decisions.

Final decisions concerning acceptance, revision, rejection, correction, or retraction must remain under appropriate human editorial responsibility.

12. Fabricated References and Information

Authors are responsible for verifying all references, quotations, citations, statistics, facts, and other information generated or suggested by AI systems.

Fabricated or unverifiable references must not be included in a manuscript.

The presence of AI-generated citations does not constitute evidence that a source exists or supports a particular claim.

13. Ethical and Legal Compliance

The use of AI must comply with applicable:

  • copyright and intellectual property laws;
  • privacy and data-protection requirements;
  • research ethics standards;
  • institutional policies;
  • licensing conditions; and
  • publication-ethics principles.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their use of AI does not violate the rights of other individuals or organizations.

14. Misuse of Artificial Intelligence

Failure to disclose material AI use, submission of fabricated AI-generated content, manipulation of research findings, plagiarism, or other misuse of AI may be considered a violation of publication ethics.

Where concerns arise, Auna Press may investigate the matter and take appropriate editorial action, including requesting clarification, requiring correction, rejecting a manuscript, issuing an expression of concern, or retracting a published article when warranted.

15. Policy Review

Because AI technologies and their applications in scholarly publishing continue to develop rapidly, this policy may be periodically reviewed and updated.

Auna Press may revise this policy to reflect developments in research ethics, copyright, data protection, AI technology, and recognized standards of scholarly publishing.