Generative AI Policy

The Proceedings of Science and Nature Research (PSNR) recognizes the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies (including large language models such as ChatGPT, and AI-based image or data-generation tools) in scholarly writing and research. This policy sets out how such tools may and may not be used in manuscripts submitted to PSNR, in line with the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the ICMJE.

AI Tools Cannot Be Listed as Authors

Generative AI tools do not meet the journal's ICMJE authorship criteria: they cannot take responsibility for the submitted work, cannot approve the final version for publication, and cannot be held accountable for the accuracy or integrity of the work. Accordingly, AI tools must not be listed as an author or co-author, and must not be cited as an author in the reference list.

Human Accountability

Authors are fully responsible for the content of their manuscript, including any text, data, code, images, or analysis produced with the assistance of a generative AI tool. Authors must carefully check and verify that any AI-generated or AI-assisted content is accurate, appropriately sourced, free of fabricated or misattributed citations ("hallucinated" references), and does not infringe on the intellectual property or confidentiality of others.

Disclosure Requirements

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI tools in the preparation of their manuscript. This includes, but is not limited to, use for:

  • Drafting, editing, or improving the language, grammar, or readability of the text;
  • Generating, summarizing, or paraphrasing content, including literature summaries;
  • Generating or assisting with code, formulas, or statistical analyses;
  • Generating or modifying images, figures, or graphical abstracts.

Disclosure should be made in the Methods section (or, if a manuscript does not have one, in a dedicated statement at the end of the manuscript before the reference list, and/or in the cover letter), specifying:

  • The name and version of the tool used (e.g., ChatGPT [GPT-4], DeepL Write, Grammarly, Midjourney);
  • The purpose for which it was used; and
  • The extent of its use (e.g., "used to improve the readability of the Introduction and Discussion sections; all scientific content and conclusions are the authors' own").

Where no generative AI tool was used at any stage of manuscript preparation, no statement is required.

Peer Review

Reviewers and editors must not upload manuscripts, or any part of them, into generative AI tools or other external platforms as part of the review process, in order to protect the confidentiality of authors' unpublished work and to comply with the journal's Peer Review Policy. AI tools may not be used to write peer review reports, since this would breach reviewer confidentiality obligations and the accountability expected of a named reviewer.

Figures, Images, and Data

Wholly AI-generated images, illustrations, or video (for example, produced by text-to-image tools) are not permitted as data or evidence within a research article, as they do not represent authentic observations, specimens, or experimental results. Their use in a purely illustrative capacity (for example, a conceptual diagram) may be considered only with the editor's prior agreement, and must be clearly labelled as AI-generated in the figure legend. This policy is in addition to, and does not replace, the journal's requirements on image and data integrity.

Non-Compliance

Failure to disclose the use of generative AI as required by this policy, or misuse of AI tools resulting in fabricated content, plagiarism, or misrepresentation of results, will be treated as a breach of the journal's Publication Ethics policy and may result in rejection, correction, or retraction in accordance with the journal's Corrections & Retractions policy.