Generative AI Policy

Generative AI Policy

RES PUBLICA: International Review of Public Law and Political Studies recognizes the increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in academic research and scholarly publishing. The journal permits the responsible use of generative AI tools, provided that such use does not compromise research integrity, academic originality, transparency, confidentiality, or authorship responsibility.

1. Responsible Use of Generative AI

Authors may use generative AI tools to assist with limited aspects of manuscript preparation, such as:

  • improving grammar, spelling, punctuation, and language clarity;

  • improving readability and academic style;

  • assisting with translation;

  • organizing or refining author-generated text; and

  • providing limited assistance with brainstorming or developing ideas.

The use of generative AI must remain under the full responsibility and supervision of the authors. Authors are responsible for verifying the accuracy, originality, completeness, and appropriateness of all content generated or assisted by AI tools.

2. Disclosure of AI Use

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

The disclosure should identify:

  • the name of the generative AI tool or system used;

  • the purpose for which the tool was used; and

  • the extent or nature of its contribution to the manuscript.

A suitable disclosure statement may be included in the manuscript, for example:

Generative AI Disclosure: During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used QuillBot, ChatGPT, and Jenni AI for language editing and improving readability. The authors reviewed and edited the output and take full responsibility for the content of the published article.

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

3. AI and Authorship

Generative AI tools, including large language models and other AI systems, cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts submitted to RES PUBLICA.

Authorship requires accountability for the research and manuscript, including responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, originality, and ethical aspects of the published work. Such responsibility can only be assumed by human authors.

4. Human Responsibility and Verification

Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to the journal, regardless of whether the content was produced with or without assistance from generative AI.

Authors must carefully verify AI-assisted content, particularly:

  • factual statements;

  • legal provisions and legal interpretations;

  • judicial decisions and case references;

  • quotations;

  • citations and bibliographic information;

  • statistical or empirical claims;

  • theoretical arguments; and

  • references and DOI information.

AI systems may generate inaccurate, incomplete, outdated, or fabricated information, including non-existent references. Authors must therefore independently verify all information before including it in the manuscript.

5. Originality and Academic Integrity

The use of generative AI must not result in plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, misrepresentation, duplicate publication, or inappropriate appropriation of another person's intellectual work.

Authors must ensure that AI-assisted writing does not reproduce copyrighted or unpublished material without appropriate authorization or attribution.

The use of AI does not exempt authors from complying with RES PUBLICA's Publication Ethics, Plagiarism Policy, Copyright and Licensing Policy, and other editorial requirements.

6. Research and Data Confidentiality

Authors must exercise caution when entering research materials, unpublished manuscripts, personal information, confidential data, proprietary information, or other sensitive materials into external generative AI systems.

Authors should not disclose confidential information through AI tools where such disclosure could compromise research participants, third parties, unpublished research, institutional confidentiality, or intellectual property.

7. Use of AI in Peer Review

Reviewers must not upload or disclose submitted manuscripts, reviewer reports, confidential editorial correspondence, or other unpublished materials to generative AI tools or external AI systems when doing so could compromise confidentiality.

Reviewers remain responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the peer-review process. Generative AI tools should not be used to replace the reviewer's independent scholarly judgment.

8. Editorial Use of AI

The editorial team may use appropriate technological tools, including AI-assisted systems, to support administrative, language, formatting, similarity-detection, metadata, or other editorial processes.

Such tools will not replace the independent judgment and responsibility of editors, reviewers, or other members of the editorial team in making publication decisions.

9. Non-Compliance

Failure to disclose substantive use of generative AI, or misuse of AI that results in plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, inaccurate citations, confidentiality breaches, or other forms of academic misconduct, may result in editorial action.

Depending on the nature and severity of the violation, the journal may request clarification or correction, reject the manuscript, withdraw an accepted manuscript, or take other appropriate action in accordance with the journal's publication ethics policy.

10. Policy Updates

RES PUBLICA may periodically review and update this policy in response to developments in generative AI technology, scholarly publishing standards, research ethics, and applicable recommendations from recognized organizations and publishing communities.