Generative AI Policies

This policy outlines the journal's stance on the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence {AI} and AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of manuscripts submitted for publication. This policy aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and the integrity of the scientific record.

1. Authorship and Accountability

AI cannot be an Author: AI tools and AI-assisted technologies {e.g., Large Language Models, Generative AI} do not meet the criteria for authorship as they cannot take responsibility for the content, integrity, or originality of the work. Therefore, AI tools or software cannot be listed as authors on any submitted manuscript.
Authors' Full Responsibility: Authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the entire content of their submitted manuscript, including any parts generated, edited, or enhanced by AI tools. This includes the accuracy, integrity, originality, and ethical soundness of the work. Authors must verify the factual correctness of any statements, citations, data, or figures generated by AI.
Human Oversight Required: The use of AI tools must be under direct human supervision. Authors must critically evaluate, edit, and revise any material generated by AI to ensure it aligns with scientific standards, accuracy, and ethical guidelines.

2. Transparency and Disclosure

Mandatory Disclosure: Authors are required to disclose the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of their manuscript. This disclosure must be explicit, specific, and transparent.
What to Disclose: The disclosure should include:

The name of the AI tool{s} used: e.g., ChatGPT {OpenAI}, Bard {Google}, Grammarly, GPT-4, Midjourney, etc.
The specific purpose{s} for which the AI tool was used: e.g., language refinement, grammar check, drafting of specific sections {specify which sections}, brainstorming, data analysis assistance, image generation, etc.
The extent of AI involvement: A brief description of how the AI tool contributed to the manuscript.

Where to Disclose: This disclosure should typically be included in one of the following sections:

Acknowledgements section: {Preferred for general writing assistance}
Methods section: {If AI was used for specific methodological steps, e.g., data analysis or coding assistance}
A dedicated "Declaration of AI Use" statement just before the References section or in a footnote on the title page.

Example Disclosure Statement: "Portions of this manuscript were drafted/edited/enhanced using [Name of AI tool, e.g., ChatGPT-4 {OpenAI}]. The authors used this tool for [specific purpose, e.g., improving grammar and clarity/drafting an initial version of the Introduction section]. All content generated by the AI was thoroughly reviewed, edited, and validated by the authors, who take full responsibility for the final content." Or for image generation: "Figure X was generated with the assistance of [Name of AI tool, e.g., Midjourney v5]. The authors provided the prompts and edited the output to ensure accuracy and relevance."

3. Permissible Uses {with Disclosure}

AI tools may be used to assist authors in the following ways, provided full disclosure is made:

Language and Grammar Refinement: Improving readability, spelling, grammar, and sentence structure.
Drafting Support: Assisting in the generation of initial drafts of specific, non-research-critical sections {e.g., parts of the Introduction or Discussion for stylistic purposes}, which must then be thoroughly reviewed and revised by the authors.
Brainstorming and Idea Generation: Assisting in conceptualizing ideas or outlining the structure of the manuscript.
Data Analysis and Visualization Assistance: {Only if verified and reproducible by human authors}. If AI is used in data processing, analysis, or generating figures/tables, the specific methods, tools, and validation steps must be clearly described in the Methods section.
Summarization of Literature: Aiding in summarizing existing literature, but the authors must ensure the accuracy of the summary and proper citation of original sources.

4. Prohibited Uses

The use of AI and AI-assisted technologies is strictly prohibited for:

Generating Fictitious Content: Creating false data, fabricated research results, or non-existent references/citations.
Plagiarism: Using AI-generated content without proper attribution {i.e., treating it as original work when it is not fully human-generated or verified}. All AI-generated content must be treated as any other source and properly attributed if it relies on existing intellectual property or specific datasets.
Substituting for Human Intellectual Contribution: AI cannot perform the core intellectual work of research, such as formulating original hypotheses, designing experiments, interpreting novel findings, or drawing original conclusions.
Violating Confidentiality: Reviewers and editors are strictly prohibited from using AI tools with confidential manuscript content {e.g., uploading the manuscript to publicly available AI models}, as this may breach confidentiality, copyright, and the integrity of the peer-review process.
Misrepresenting Research: Using AI to intentionally mislead readers about the methods, results, or conclusions of the research.

5. Consequences of Misuse

Failure to adhere to this policy regarding the ethical use of AI and AI-assisted technologies will be considered a serious breach of publication ethics. Such breaches may result in:

Rejection of the submitted manuscript.
Retraction of the published article.
Banning of the author{s} from future submissions to the journal.
Notification to the authors' institution and relevant ethics committees.

This policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to reflect advancements in AI technology and evolving ethical guidelines in scholarly publishing.

HALAL INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity, originality, and ethical practices. In response to the increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in academic workflows, this policy outlines the acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI tools for authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the publication process.

For Authors

Permitted Uses of AI

Authors may use AI tools to assist with certain non-substantive aspects of manuscript preparation:

Language and Readability: AI tools may be employed for grammar correction, language refinement, and stylistic adjustments. Authors remain responsible for reviewing and verifying the accuracy of any changes.
Illustrative Examples: Authors can include examples generated by AI for explanatory or illustrative purposes, provided these examples are clearly labeled and cited in the manuscript.
Data Analysis: AI tools may support data analysis conducted through traditional research methods, but the methodology must include a detailed description of the tools, parameters, and rationale for their use.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Authorship and Content Creation: Authors must not use AI tools to generate substantive content for manuscripts, including sections like abstracts, literature reviews, methodologies, results, or conclusions. Intellectual contributions must be entirely the work of the authors.
Data Generation: AI tools cannot be used to fabricate or simulate data, statistical analyses, or findings. All reported data must originate from authentic and verifiable research.
Image Creation: Images, figures, or visualizations generated by AI are not permitted due to concerns about authenticity and ethical compliance.

Disclosure Requirement

Authors must disclose any use of AI tools in their manuscript. A disclosure statement should be included in the Acknowledgments section, specifying the tools used and their purpose (e.g., "This manuscript was proofread using [AI Tool Name] for grammar and clarity improvement.").

For Reviewers

Permitted Uses of AI

Reviewers may use AI tools to assist in the preparation of their review reports, such as:

Refining language, grammar, or formatting for clarity and readability.
Verifying references or basic factual information related to the manuscript content.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Reviewers must not use AI tools to evaluate the intellectual content of the manuscript or to generate substantive parts of their review. The evaluation must be entirely their own.
Reviewers must avoid disclosing manuscript content to AI tools, ensuring the confidentiality of the review process.

Responsibilities

Reviewers are expected to identify and report any potential misuse of AI tools by authors, such as AI-generated content or fabricated data, and alert the editorial team. Reviewers must uphold confidentiality throughout the review process.

For Editors

Permitted Uses of AI

Editors may use AI tools for administrative tasks, such as:

Streamlining workflows or tracking manuscript progress.
Enhancing communication clarity in editorial decisions or reviewer invitations.

Prohibited Uses of AI

Editors must not use AI tools to make substantive editorial decisions or to evaluate the intellectual merit of a manuscript.
AI tools cannot be used to generate content for editorial letters or correspondence without human oversight and validation.

Responsibilities

Editors must ensure compliance with the AI usage policy by:

Verifying that authors disclose any use of AI tools and addressing any inconsistencies or ethical concerns.
Ensuring that the peer review process remains rigorous and free from AI-generated biases.
Providing reviewers with guidance on AI-related ethical standards and monitoring adherence to the journal’s policies.

Ethical Considerations for All Parties

AI tools can generate plausible-sounding but incorrect or fabricated information, often referred to as "AI hallucination." All parties involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, and editors—must ensure the accuracy and validity of any content influenced by AI. Additionally, the use of AI must comply with ethical standards, including respect for data privacy, informed consent, and bias mitigation.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failure to comply with this AI policy may result in:

Manuscript rejection or retraction of published articles for authors.
Removal from the reviewer pool for reviewers who violate confidentiality or misuse AI tools.
Investigation and corrective actions for editors who misuse AI tools or fail to enforce the policy.

Commitment to Ethical AI Use

HALAL INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL is committed to promoting ethical and responsible AI use in academic publishing. By adhering to this policy, all participants in the publication process contribute to maintaining the integrity, rigor, and trustworthiness of scholarly research. For more details about the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in scientific writing, you can find additional information here.

For further inquiries or clarification, please contact the editorial office at [email protected]