Generative AI Policy

COMMUNIA – Journal of Community Engagement and Development recognizes that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies can support authors, reviewers, and editors in various aspects of scholarly communication. At the same time, the journal recognizes the risks associated with inaccurate, fabricated, biased, or misleading AI-generated content.

COMMUNIA therefore permits the responsible use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies while maintaining the principles of academic integrity, transparency, accountability, originality, and human oversight.

1. General Principles

The use of generative AI is not, by itself, considered academic misconduct. However, authors, reviewers, and editors remain fully responsible for the content, integrity, confidentiality, and ethical standards of their work.

Generative AI tools must be used as assistive technologies rather than substitutes for human scholarly judgment and responsibility.

AI tools must not be used to:

  • fabricate or falsify research findings;

  • generate fictitious data or evidence;

  • create false references or citations;

  • manipulate research results;

  • misrepresent authorship;

  • conceal plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct;

  • generate misleading scholarly claims; or

  • compromise confidential or unpublished information.

2. Use of Generative AI by Authors

Authors may use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies for appropriate purposes, such as:

  • improving language, grammar, spelling, and readability;

  • assisting with translation;

  • improving clarity and organization of text;

  • generating preliminary ideas or research questions;

  • assisting with non-substantive formatting; and

  • supporting other limited aspects of manuscript preparation.

However, authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, scholarly validity, and integrity of the submitted manuscript.

Authors must independently verify all AI-generated or AI-assisted content before submission.

3. Disclosure of Generative AI Use

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI when AI tools have been used in a substantive manner during the preparation of a manuscript.

Disclosure should identify:

  • the name of the AI tool or system;

  • the purpose for which it was used; and

  • the extent or nature of its use.

For example:

Generative AI Disclosure: During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of AI tool] for [briefly describe the purpose, e.g., language editing and improving readability]. The authors reviewed and verified all AI-assisted content and take full responsibility for the final content of the manuscript.

Routine use of basic spelling, grammar, or reference-management software does not normally require a separate disclosure unless the tool uses generative AI in a substantive way.

4. AI and Authorship

Generative AI tools, including AI chatbots and large language models, cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts submitted to COMMUNIA.

Authorship requires human responsibility for the scholarly work, including responsibility for:

  • the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript;

  • the interpretation of research findings;

  • compliance with ethical standards;

  • disclosure of relevant conflicts of interest;

  • responding to questions concerning the work; and

  • accountability for the final published article.

AI systems cannot accept responsibility for a publication and therefore do not qualify for authorship.

5. Responsibility for AI-Assisted Content

Authors are responsible for carefully reviewing all content generated or modified with the assistance of AI.

This includes checking:

  • factual accuracy;

  • citations and references;

  • quotations;

  • statistical information;

  • interpretations;

  • research findings;

  • originality;

  • potential bias;

  • copyright and intellectual property issues; and

  • compliance with applicable research-ethics requirements.

AI systems may generate inaccurate information, fabricated references, or unsupported claims. Authors must therefore independently verify all AI-assisted content before submission.

6. Generative AI and Plagiarism

The use of generative AI does not exempt authors from the journal's Plagiarism Policy.

Authors must ensure that AI-assisted manuscripts do not contain plagiarized or improperly attributed material.

Using AI-generated text without appropriate disclosure, particularly where required by this policy, may raise concerns regarding transparency and academic integrity.

AI-generated content must not be used to disguise plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate text recycling, or other forms of publication misconduct.

7. Generative AI and Research Data

Generative AI must not be used to fabricate, manipulate, or falsify research data, research participants, experimental results, interview responses, statistical results, or other empirical evidence.

AI-generated material must not be presented as actual research data or authentic evidence.

Where AI-assisted methods are part of the research methodology itself, authors must describe the use of the technology transparently in the Methods or other appropriate section of the manuscript.

The description should be sufficiently detailed to enable readers to understand the role of the AI system in the research.

8. AI-Generated Images, Figures, and Multimedia

The use of generative AI to create or substantially modify images, figures, illustrations, photographs, diagrams, or other visual materials must be disclosed when such materials form part of the scholarly contribution.

Authors must ensure that AI-generated or AI-assisted visual materials:

  • do not misrepresent research findings;

  • do not fabricate evidence;

  • comply with copyright and intellectual property requirements;

  • do not infringe the rights of individuals or third parties; and

  • are appropriately identified or disclosed where necessary.

AI-generated images must not be presented as authentic photographs, experimental results, clinical evidence, or other factual research evidence when they are not.

9. Confidentiality and Unpublished Manuscripts

Authors, reviewers, and editors must exercise caution when using generative AI tools with confidential or unpublished material.

Reviewers and editors must not upload confidential manuscripts, peer-review reports, unpublished research data, or other confidential editorial information into generative AI systems unless the use has been expressly authorized and appropriate confidentiality protections are in place.

The confidentiality of the peer-review process must be maintained at all times.

10. Generative AI in Peer Review

Reviewers may use AI-assisted tools for limited administrative or language-related purposes only when such use does not compromise manuscript confidentiality or the integrity of the peer-review process.

Reviewers must not use generative AI to independently conduct or replace their scholarly evaluation of a manuscript.

Reviewers remain responsible for the content and recommendations contained in their review reports.

A reviewer must not upload or disclose confidential manuscript content to a generative AI system that is not authorized for such use.

11. Generative AI in Editorial Processes

Editors may use AI-assisted technologies for appropriate administrative or technical purposes, provided that such use does not compromise:

  • manuscript confidentiality;

  • author privacy;

  • reviewer confidentiality;

  • editorial independence;

  • research integrity; or

  • fairness in editorial decision-making.

Editorial decisions must remain under meaningful human oversight.

AI tools must not independently determine the acceptance, rejection, or publication of a manuscript.

12. AI-Assisted Translation

Authors may use generative AI or AI-assisted translation tools to translate manuscripts or portions of manuscripts.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that the translated content accurately represents the original meaning and does not introduce factual errors, inappropriate terminology, or misleading interpretations.

Substantive AI-assisted translation should be disclosed where appropriate.

13. Ethical and Legal Considerations

Authors are responsible for ensuring that their use of generative AI complies with:

  • applicable copyright law;

  • intellectual property rights;

  • privacy and data-protection requirements;

  • research-ethics standards;

  • informed-consent requirements where applicable; and

  • the policies of COMMUNIA.

The use of an AI tool does not transfer responsibility for legal or ethical compliance to the AI provider.

14. Editorial Assessment of AI Use

COMMUNIA may request clarification from authors regarding the use of generative AI when such use raises concerns about:

  • authorship;

  • originality;

  • research integrity;

  • accuracy;

  • plagiarism;

  • fabricated references;

  • fabricated data;

  • copyright;

  • confidentiality; or

  • other publication-ethics issues.

The journal may request additional information, revisions, disclosure, or supporting documentation when necessary.

15. Misuse of Generative AI

Misuse of generative AI may be treated as a form of academic or publication misconduct.

Examples include:

  • submitting fabricated AI-generated data as genuine research data;

  • generating fictitious references;

  • concealing substantial AI-generated content where disclosure is required;

  • using AI to fabricate quotations or research evidence;

  • using AI to manipulate figures or research results deceptively;

  • uploading confidential peer-review materials to unauthorized AI systems; or

  • using AI to facilitate plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other forms of misconduct.

Where misuse is identified, COMMUNIA may take appropriate action under its Publication Ethics Policy, Plagiarism Policy, and other applicable editorial procedures.

16. Human Responsibility

The use of generative AI does not reduce or transfer the responsibility of authors, reviewers, or editors.

Human contributors remain responsible for the scholarly content and decisions associated with the publication process.

AI technologies may assist scholarly work, but they cannot replace human accountability, critical judgment, ethical responsibility, or scholarly expertise.

17. Policy Updates

COMMUNIA recognizes that generative AI technologies and their applications in scholarly publishing are developing rapidly.

This policy may therefore be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect developments in:

  • research integrity;

  • publication ethics;

  • artificial intelligence technology;

  • copyright and intellectual property law;

  • privacy and data protection; and

  • international standards and best practices in scholarly publishing.

18. Generative AI Policy Statement

COMMUNIA – Journal of Community Engagement and Development permits the responsible use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in scholarly publishing, provided that their use is transparent, ethical, and subject to meaningful human oversight.

Generative AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, and ethical compliance of their manuscripts.

Substantive use of generative AI in manuscript preparation should be appropriately disclosed. Generative AI must not be used to fabricate or falsify data, results, references, quotations, or other research evidence.

Reviewers and editors must protect the confidentiality of manuscripts and must not disclose confidential or unpublished materials to unauthorized generative AI systems.

COMMUNIA is committed to responsible innovation while preserving academic integrity, transparency, human accountability, research ethics, and the reliability of the scholarly record.