Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools by Authors

The Journal of Computers, Mechanical and Management recognises that artificial intelligence (AI) tools, including large language models and generative AI assistants, are increasingly used in scholarly research and writing. The journal's policy aligns with positions issued by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), and with current best practice across major scholarly publishers.

1. AI tools cannot be authors

Artificial intelligence tools do not satisfy the four ICMJE criteria for authorship and must not be listed as authors or co-authors. AI tools cannot take responsibility for a manuscript's content, cannot give final approval, and cannot be accountable for the work. Authors retain full responsibility for the originality, accuracy, integrity, and ethical compliance of the manuscript, including any portion produced with AI assistance.

2. Permitted uses of AI tools

The journal permits the use of AI tools for purposes that do not compromise the originality of the scholarly contribution or the accountability of the authors. Permitted uses include:

  • Language editing, grammar checking, and improvement of clarity in non-native English manuscripts;
  • Code-completion or code-suggestion assistance during the development of software used in the research, with author review of all generated code;
  • Literature-search assistance, where the authors verify all citations independently;
  • Summarisation or paraphrasing of the authors' own prior text, where the result is critically reviewed and edited by the authors;
  • Use of AI as a method, model, or tool that is itself a subject of the research, with full description in the manuscript.

3. Prohibited uses of AI tools

  • Submission of AI-generated text as the authors' original prose without review, editing, and full accountability;
  • Use of AI to generate fabricated or non-existent references; authors are responsible for verifying every reference;
  • Use of AI to generate fictitious data, results, or images;
  • Use of AI to manipulate figures or images in ways that mislead the reader;
  • Use of AI to circumvent plagiarism detection by paraphrasing copied text.

4. Mandatory disclosure

Where AI tools have been used in the preparation of a manuscript beyond minor language editing, the use must be disclosed in a dedicated subsection within the Methods or in a "Use of AI tools" statement. The disclosure should specify:

  • The name of the AI tool used (for example, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot), with the version where known;
  • The purpose for which the tool was used (for example, language polishing, code suggestion, literature retrieval);
  • The sections or aspects of the manuscript affected;
  • An explicit statement of author responsibility for the final content.

Example: "During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI) for language polishing of the Introduction and Discussion sections. After using this tool, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the publication."

5. AI in figures and images

The use of AI to generate or alter scientific figures, images, or visualisations is not permitted, except where the AI-generated content is itself the subject of the research and is clearly labelled. AI-generated cover art or schematic illustrations may be used only with explicit disclosure in the figure caption.

6. Verification

The journal reserves the right to require a manuscript's source code, raw outputs, or AI-tool transcripts as part of the review process, where there is reason to question the authenticity or originality of any portion of the work. Failure to disclose substantive AI use may be treated as research misconduct under the journal's Publication Ethics policy.

7. Updates to this policy

The field of generative AI is evolving rapidly. The journal reviews this policy at least annually and reserves the right to update it in line with new guidance from COPE, ICMJE, and the broader scholarly community. The current version is in force from 25 April 2026.