Principles of using AI
AI tools cannot be attributed as authors. Authorship entails responsibilities such as ensuring accuracy, integrity, and the ability to respond to criticism that only humans can fulfill.
Transparency is important. Authors should disclose any use of generative AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT) during manuscript preparation. This includes identifying the tool used, its version, the purpose of its use, and confirming that the authors reviewed and edited the AI-generated content. A statement about the use of AI should be included in the cover letter by the author(s).
AI can be used to:
- Improve grammar, spelling and clarity of language.
- Help with formatting and managing links.
AI cannot be used for:
- Generating original research content, data or results.
- Creation of figures, images or graphical summaries using AI, unless they are integral to the research methodology and are fully disclosed.
- Using AI to create or manipulate data.
Failure to disclose the use of AI tools in manuscript preparation may be considered a breach of ethical standards, potentially leading to retraction of published papers.
