AI Ethics and Policy

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) in biological research and academic publishing presents both opportunities and ethical challenges. These guidelines establish clear standards for the appropriate use, disclosure, and limitations of AI technologies in the research and publication process. All researchers and authors must understand that while AI can serve as a valuable technical aid, it fundamentally cannot replace human intellectual contribution, critical analysis, or professional accountability in scientific research.

Authorship Exclusion

In accordance with the standards established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) are strictly excluded from authorship eligibility. Authorship necessitates the capacity to take public responsibility for the work, provide final approval of the version to be published, and enter into legal licensing agreements—qualities that AI systems fundamentally lack. Consequently, AI cannot be listed as an author or co-author on any manuscript or published article.

The substantive intellectual contribution and the critical interpretation of biological data must originate from human researchers. AI is classified as a medium of technical assistance rather than a source of independent creative input.

Human authors must retain full intellectual ownership of the work and must demonstrably perform the following functions:

Original conceptualization and study design
Critical analysis and interpretation of results
Intellectual synthesis of findings within the broader scientific context
Independent validation of all AI-assisted outputs

Because these systems cannot be held legally or professionally accountable for research findings, any manuscript that attributes authorship to an AI tool will be subject to immediate correction or rejection.

Human authors bear full responsibility for:

The accuracy and validity of all research content
Compliance with ethical standards and research integrity policies
Legal obligations related to copyright, licensing, and data protection
Responding to post-publication inquiries, corrections, or retractions
Ensuring all AI-generated outputs have been independently verified
Maintaining the integrity of the research record regardless of AI tool limitations

Authors must recognize that the use of AI tools does not diminish their responsibility for the final published work. Any errors, inaccuracies, or ethical violations remain the sole responsibility of the human authors, regardless of whether they originated from AI-generated content.

AI Disclosure and Ethics

The use of AI-assisted technologies in biological research demands absolute transparency to ensure scientific reproducibility and safeguard the integrity of the scholarly record. Proper disclosure is essential for maintaining trust in the research process and allowing for appropriate evaluation of methodology.

Disclosure Requirements

Authors must provide comprehensive documentation of all AI usage in their manuscripts. The level of detail required depends on the nature and extent of AI involvement in the research process.

Primary Research Applications (Methods Section)

For AI tools used in core research activities, authors must disclose:

Specific AI tools, platforms, model names, and version numbers employed (e.g., "ChatGPT-4," "Claude 3.5 Sonnet," "DALL-E 3")
Exact prompts, parameters, or algorithms used for data collection
Statistical analysis procedures involving AI assistance
Generation of figures, visualizations, or computational models
Data preprocessing, feature extraction, or pattern recognition
The approximate extent of AI assistance (e.g., which specific sections, estimated percentage of content)
Number of iterations or revisions involving AI assistance
Whether any proprietary, confidential, or unpublished data was processed by AI systems

Secondary Applications (Acknowledgments Section)

For AI tools used in supporting activities, authors must disclose:

Language translation or multilingual content adaptation
Grammar refinement and stylistic improvements
Literature search assistance or reference management
Formatting and technical document preparation
Citation verification or reference formatting

Enhanced Disclosure Standards

In addition to the above requirements, authors must:

Specify whether custom AI models were developed using institutional or proprietary data
Indicate if any commercial AI services were used and whether any financial relationships exist
Describe any data anonymization or privacy-protection measures applied before using AI tools
Clarify the role of human oversight at each stage where AI was employed

Prohibited Uses

The use of AI technologies is strictly prohibited for the following purposes:

Fabrication of synthetic experimental data or fictitious results
Manipulation of biological imagery, including microscopy, Western blots, gel electrophoresis, or histological images beyond acceptable linear adjustments
Generation of fraudulent statistical outputs or misleading visualizations
Creation of fictitious citations, references, or attributed quotations
Plagiarism through paraphrasing of existing literature without proper attribution
Listing AI tools as authors or co-authors on manuscripts
Having AI generate substantial portions of the manuscript without disclosure and human oversight
Using AI to create fake peer reviews or manipulate the peer review process
Submitting AI-generated content that closely replicates existing copyrighted works

Verification and Validation

It is the sole responsibility of the human researcher to manually verify all AI-generated outputs against primary sources. Authors must:

Cross-reference AI-generated content with original experimental data
Validate statistical analyses through independent verification methods
Confirm the accuracy of citations and factual claims
Assess outputs for potential bias, errors, or misrepresentation
Retain original, unprocessed data and images for verification purposes
Test AI-generated code or algorithms to ensure reproducibility
Document the verification process used for AI-assisted content

The occurrence of AI "hallucinations" (fabricated information), algorithmic bias, or erroneous results does not exempt authors from the consequences of publishing inaccurate or unoriginal content. All submitted manuscripts remain subject to the journal's standard policies on research misconduct, data integrity, and retraction.

Additional Compliance Requirements

Data Privacy and Confidentiality

Authors must not input unpublished data, patient information, or confidential research materials into public AI systems without proper authorization. AI tool use must comply with applicable data protection regulations (GDPR, HIPAA) and institutional policies. Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Ethics Committee approval is required when processing sensitive data through AI tools. Sensitive data should be anonymized before AI processing, and institutional or secure enterprise AI platforms should be used for confidential research.

Intellectual Property and Copyright

Authors must be aware that AI-generated content may not be eligible for copyright protection in some jurisdictions. Authors remain responsible for ensuring all content meets copyright requirements and does not infringe on existing intellectual property rights. Manuscripts must represent original scholarly work where AI enhances, rather than replaces, human creativity.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors must disclose any financial relationships, partnerships, or consultancies with AI tool providers or developers. Research funding from or collaboration with AI companies must be declared, as well as institutional licensing agreements with AI providers that influenced tool selection. Participation in AI tool development, beta testing, or advisory roles must also be disclosed.

Image Integrity Standards

Only linear adjustments to brightness, contrast, and color balance are permitted without disclosure. AI tools must not be used to add, remove, or enhance specific features within biological images. Authors must retain original, unprocessed images and make them available upon request. AI-generated or AI-enhanced images must be clearly labeled in figure legends with tool disclosure in the Methods section.

Editorial and Peer Review Policy

Editors reserve the right to request detailed AI usage documentation, reject manuscripts where AI compromises integrity or originality, implement AI detection tools for screening, and retract publications if undisclosed AI use is discovered. Reviewers may be informed of disclosed AI use and must not use AI to generate review content without permission or input confidential manuscript content into AI systems.

Compliance and Enforcement

Author Responsibilities

Before manuscript submission, authors must confirm:

AI tools are not listed as authors or co-authors
All AI usage is disclosed with specific tool names, versions, and extent of use
All AI-generated content has been independently verified
Data privacy and regulatory compliance has been maintained
Conflicts of interest with AI providers are disclosed
Original data and verification records are retained

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Pre-Publication: Manuscript rejection or editorial investigation
Post-Publication: Correction, retraction, or formal investigation
Institutional: Notification to institutions, funding agencies, or professional organizations