The continuous development of Artificial Intelligence and AI writing tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, Claude, NovelAI, Jasper AI, DALL-E, Midjourney, Runway, DeepSeek, Grammarly, etc., have been imperative to frame the Generative AI policies of the Journal of South Asian Exchanges to be followed by all the stakeholders of the journal. Despite having some positive implications of the Generative AI in the field of scholarly writing, it has also made doing research and writing research articles very challenging. Keeping in mind the continuous evolution of the Generative AI, the Journal of South Asian Exchanges has framed the following policies to ensure responsible, transparent, and ethical use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in scholarly publishing, and safeguard academic integrity while allowing authors to benefit from technological innovation. The journal’s AI policies will continue to develop across several critical domains, ensuring they remain aligned with technological progress and responsive to emerging ethical challenges:
- Clarification of Human vs AI contribution
- Intellectual Property Rights and Attribution
- Security and Risk Management
- Privacy and Data Protection
- Transparency and Disclosure
- Publication Ethics and Fairness
- Regulation and Governance
- Future Development
Generative AI Policies of the Journal of South Asian Exchanges
For authors
Recognizing the growing potential of responsibly applied AI technologies in enhancing research efficiency and enabling deeper insights, the Journal of South Asian Exchanges advises authors to adhere to the following principles:
Critical Thinking: Authors must not rely on AI tools as a substitute for scholarly expertise, judgment, or independent analysis.
Verification: All AI-generated outputs should be carefully reviewed to ensure accuracy, comprehensiveness, and impartiality.
Authenticity: Manuscripts must reflect the author’s original contribution, including their own interpretation, insights, and intellectual analysis.
Data Privacy: Authors must safeguard data privacy, intellectual property, and related rights by reviewing the terms and conditions of any AI tool employed.
Confidentiality: The terms of use of AI tools must be checked to ensure that privacy and confidentiality of data—including unpublished manuscripts—are fully protected.
Bias and Errors: Authors should examine AI outputs for personally identifiable information, factual inaccuracies, and potential bias.
Publication Rights: AI tools must not impose restrictions on the use of outputs that could limit the subsequent publication of the manuscript.
Figures and Images: AI-generated maps, figures, or images should not be included unless the article specifically addresses AI-related topics.
Translations: AI-generated translations are not permitted in research articles.
Disclosure: Authors must provide a separate AI declaration statement upon submission, clearly disclosing any use of AI tools in manuscript preparation.
For Reviewers
To uphold the integrity of the peer review process, the Journal of South Asian Exchanges establishes the following principles for reviewers regarding the use of AI tools:
Confidentiality: Reviewers must not upload a submitted manuscript, or any portion of it, into an AI tool, as this may compromise author confidentiality and proprietary rights.
Independent Evaluation: AI tools cannot replace a reviewer’s critical judgment or scholarly expertise. Reviewers remain fully responsible and accountable for the content and conclusions of their reports.
Supportive Use: AI may only be used in a supportive capacity—for example, to refine the language and structure of a review report or to assist with background literature searches—provided that confidentiality is preserved and human oversight is exercised.
Disclosure: Reviewers should disclose any use of AI tools in their reports, specifying the tool employed and its purpose. Routine checks for spelling and grammar do not require disclosure.
For Editors
To safeguard the integrity of the editorial process, the Journal of South Asian Exchanges establishes the following principles for editors regarding the use of AI tools:
Confidentiality: Editors must not upload a submitted manuscript, or any portion of it, into an AI tool, as this may compromise author confidentiality and proprietary rights.
Editorial Responsibility: Editors remain fully accountable for the editorial assessment and decision-making process. AI tools cannot replace an editor’s critical judgment, independent evaluation, or final decisions.
Supportive Use: AI may only be used in a supportive capacity—for example, to refine the language or structure of decision letters, or to assist with background literature searches—provided that confidentiality is preserved and human oversight is exercised.
Plagiarism and AI Detection: The journal employs standard software to detect plagiarism and AI-generated text in research articles prior to publication.