The rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI technologies has transformed the way scholarly research is conducted, written, reviewed, and disseminated. While these technologies provide significant opportunities to improve research productivity and language quality, they also introduce ethical, legal, and academic integrity challenges.

SABDA Journal supports the responsible, transparent, and ethical use of AI-assisted technologies while maintaining that human authors remain fully responsible for every aspect of their manuscript.

This policy has been developed by considering recommendations from:

• Elsevier
• STM 
• WAME

In addition to establishing guidance for authors, SABDA Journal also adopts Generative AI policies for editors and reviewers. Editors and reviewers are expected to use AI-assisted technologies responsibly, protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, avoid uploading unpublished or confidential content into AI systems without appropriate authorization, and ensure that all editorial and peer-review decisions remain the result of independent human judgment and professional expertise.

SABDA Journal permits the responsible use of Generative AI solely as an assistive technology during manuscript preparation. Authors may use AI tools for purposes including:

• Idea generation and brainstorming.
• Language editing and grammar improvement.
• Manuscript organization.
• Literature classification.
• Coding assistance.
• Data visualization support.
• Translation assistance.
• Programming support.
• Improving readability.

The use of AI must always remain under direct human supervision. Authors are responsible for critically reviewing, verifying, and revising all AI-generated content before submission.

Authors remain fully accountable for:

• Originality.
• Scientific accuracy
• Interpretation of results.
• Ethical compliance.
• Citation accuracy
• Copyright compliance.
• Integrity of the manuscript.

Generative AI tools must not be listed as authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the work, approve the final manuscript, or comply with copyright and publication agreements.

SABDA Journal strictly prohibits the use of Generative AI for:

• Fabrication or manipulation of research data.
• Generation of false experimental results.
• Creation of fabricated references or citations.
• Plagiarism or undisclosed AI-generated content.
• Manipulation of figures, tables, or images intended to mislead readers.
• Preparation of fraudulent ethical approval statements.

Cases involving suspected misuse of AI may be investigated according to the journal's publication ethics.

Authors who use Generative AI during manuscript preparation must disclose its use in a separate section entitled:

Declaration of Generative AI Use

Example:

During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used ChatGPT (OpenAI) to improve language quality and readability. All generated content was carefully reviewed, revised, and verified by the authors, who assume full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of the submitted work.

Disclosure is not required for basic spelling checkers, grammar correction software, or reference management tools that do not generate scholarly content.

SABDA Journal does not permit the use of Generative AI to create, manipulate, or alter research images, figures, graphs, tables, or datasets in ways that could misrepresent research findings.

The use of AI-generated visual content is only acceptable when:

• • It forms part of the research methodology;
  • It is clearly disclosed;
  • It is scientifically justified;
  • It does not violate copyright or intellectual property rights.

Reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts throughout the peer-review process. Reviewers must not upload manuscripts, reviewer reports, or confidential editorial materials into publicly accessible Generative AI platforms. AI tools should not be used to generate peer-review reports or editorial recommendations. Reviewers remain fully responsible for their independent scientific assessment.

Editors are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of the editorial process.
Editors should not submit confidential manuscripts to public AI systems. Editorial decisions must be based solely on independent scholarly judgment and peer-review evaluations. AI tools may only be used for administrative support that does not compromise manuscript confidentiality.

Failure to comply with this policy may result in:

• Requests for clarification;
• Manuscript revision;
• Rejection before publication;
• Publication of corrections;
• Retraction after publication;
• Additional editorial actions in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics.

SABDA Journal reserves the right to update this policy as international standards for scholarly publishing and Generative AI continue to evolve.