Use of Artificial Intelligence

AHRIE (Applied Health Research, Innovation & Education) recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) tools can support certain research, writing, editing, and scholarly communication activities. Their use must be transparent, responsible, and compatible with academic integrity, confidentiality, data protection, copyright, and human accountability.

This policy applies to authors, reviewers, editors, and everyone else involved in the editorial process.

Authorship and human accountability

Artificial intelligence tools, language models, chatbots, and other automated technologies cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and validity of a work; approve its final version; disclose conflicts of interest; or be held accountable for ethical or legal breaches.

Responsibility for all manuscript content rests exclusively with its human authors. The use of AI does not reduce or transfer this responsibility.

Authors must:

• critically review and verify all content produced or modified with AI assistance;

• verify the accuracy of data, statements, calculations, references, and conclusions;

• correct false, incomplete, biased, or misleading information;

• ensure that the text contains no plagiarism, incorrect attribution, or unauthorized protected material;

• ensure that the manuscript accurately represents the authors’ work, analysis, and judgment;

• remain able to explain and defend the methods, decisions, and results presented.

Uses that must be disclosed

The use of generative artificial intelligence or AI-assisted tools must be disclosed when they have contributed substantially to:

• generating or reformulating scientific content;

• preparing sections, arguments, interpretations, or conclusions;

• searching, synthesizing, or classifying literature;

• data analysis, programming, code generation, or modelling;

• creating or modifying tables, figures, images, audio, video, or other materials;

• substantial translation of the manuscript;

• developing instruments, algorithms, models, or methodologies;

• any other activity capable of influencing the scientific content or its interpretation.

The disclosure must identify, at minimum:

• the name of the tool and its provider;

• the version or date accessed, when available;

• the purpose for which it was used;

• the sections or activities in which it was used;

• how the authors supervised and verified the output.

When AI forms part of the research method, its use must be described in sufficient detail in the Methods section to support understanding and reproducibility.

Depending on the nature of the use, the disclosure may appear in the relevant manuscript section, the acknowledgments, or a specific AI-use statement.

Basic language and editorial assistance

The use of tools for spelling, grammar, typography, or formatting corrections normally does not require disclosure when the tool does not generate substantive content or modify the scientific meaning.

Authors nevertheless remain responsible for ensuring that such tools have not introduced errors, altered meaning, created bias, produced nonexistent references, or made unauthorized changes.

When a tool performs extensive translation, reformulates scientific content, or generates parts of the manuscript, its use must be disclosed.

References and sources

Artificial intelligence tools must not be cited as authors or used as primary sources of scientific evidence.

Authors must consult, verify, and cite the original sources supporting each statement. They are responsible for confirming that every reference exists, supports the cited content, and contains accurate bibliographic information.

Invented, inaccurate, unverified, or automatically generated references that have not undergone human verification will not be accepted.

Data, privacy, and confidentiality

The following must not be entered into public AI systems or systems without adequate safeguards:

• personal data or identifiable information concerning participants or patients;

• medical records, identifiable clinical images, or sensitive information;

• confidential or restricted research data;

• unpublished manuscripts belonging to other individuals;

• peer-review reports, editorial communications, or protected documents;

• confidential institutional, commercial, or intellectual information.

Authors must examine the terms of use, privacy conditions, data-retention practices, and intellectual-property provisions of the tools they use. AI use must comply with applicable legislation, participant consent, ethics approvals, and confidentiality agreements.

Scientific images, figures, and data

Artificial intelligence may not be used to fabricate, falsify, conceal, or improperly alter data, results, or evidence.

Clinical, microscopic, radiological, histological, or other scientific images must not be generated or modified in ways that create nonexistent features, remove relevant information, or produce a misleading interpretation.

AI-generated illustrative images may be considered only when clearly identified as such, relevant to the article, compliant with applicable rights, and not presented as scientific evidence or documentation of actual events.

AHRIE may request original files, underlying data, procedural descriptions, instructions used, or other information needed to assess the integrity and traceability of the material.

AI use by reviewers

Reviewers must preserve manuscript confidentiality. They may not upload all or part of a manuscript, its files, data, or editorial information to publicly available generative AI tools or systems in which confidentiality cannot be assured.

Critical evaluation and editorial recommendations must be performed by the reviewer and may not be delegated to an automated tool.

Any AI use expressly authorized by AHRIE must be disclosed to the editor, identifying the tool and its purpose. The reviewer remains responsible for verifying the accuracy, relevance, absence of bias, and respectful tone of the report.

AI use by editors and the journal

Editors will not upload manuscripts, reviews, or confidential communications to AI tools without adequate privacy and security safeguards.

Automated tools may support technical tasks, similarity screening, editorial checks, or production activities, but they will not replace human judgment or independently determine acceptance or rejection.

When AHRIE makes substantial use of AI in editing, production, or the creation of supplementary content, it will disclose this use when relevant. Final responsibility for editorial decisions and content will remain with identifiable members of the editorial team.

Prohibited uses

The following are incompatible with this policy:

• attributing authorship to an AI tool;

• presenting AI-generated content as exclusively human work when disclosure was required;

• using AI to fabricate or falsify data, results, images, participants, citations, or references;

• using AI to manipulate the peer-review process;

• producing automated reviews without critical assessment by the responsible reviewer;

• entering confidential information or personal data into systems without adequate safeguards;

• using AI to plagiarize, conceal plagiarism, or evade integrity checks;

• using generated content without verifying its accuracy, originality, legality, and relevance.

Non-compliance

When undisclosed, deceptive, or inappropriate AI use is suspected, AHRIE may request explanations, additional disclosures, original files, data, methodological records, or other relevant evidence.

Depending on the nature and seriousness of the case, the journal may suspend the evaluation, require corrections, reject the manuscript, issue a correction or expression of concern, retract the article, or report the matter to the relevant institutions.

Measures will be proportionate and applied in accordance with AHRIE’s publication ethics policies.

Policy updates

This policy may be updated in response to technological, regulatory, and editorial developments. The version published on the AHRIE website will be the version applicable at any given time.