Guidelines on the Recommended Scope and Usage of
Artificial Intelligence (AI)

1. Overview and purpose

This journal encourages the use of AI within a specific scope to ensure that the creative research achievements of authors can be clearly communicated internationally without language barriers. This is intended to resolve the linguistic constraints faced by non-English speaking researchers and to prevent excellent research results from being undervalued due to differences in expression. Simultaneously, by specifying the permissible scope of use, this guideline aims to grant legitimacy to authors regarding AI usage, protect research integrity, and solidify academic reliability.

2. Guidelines for authors

2.1. Permissible use

• Refinement of English expression: The journal actively encourages "instrumental use" of AI to help ensure that research content directly authored by the researcher is communicated without misunderstanding.
• Overcoming language barriers and optimizing expression: The use of AI for English proofreading, refining sentences, and improving writing style to enhance readability is permitted. This is to ensure that the scientific content itself remains the focus of evaluation.

2.2. Prohibited use

• Research data analysis and manuscript drafting: Any actions that undermine the originality of the research or replace the role of the author are strictly prohibited.
• Prohibition of substantial content generation: It is not permitted to have AI generate substantial content such as the first draft of the manuscript (drafting), data analysis, or interpretation of results, which are core elements of research.
• Prohibition of data manipulation: The generation of experimental data that was not performed (fabrication) or the manipulation of images is strictly prohibited. All logical descriptions must be based on the author's direct judgment.

2.3. Accountability & disclosure

• Author's responsibility: Regardless of the use of AI tools, the final responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the manuscript lies with the author.
• Disclosure procedure: If technologies beyond simple grammar checks and editing are used, authors must specify the tools used and the purpose through an "AI Usage Declaration" upon submission.

3. Guidelines for reviewers: Research security and AI restrictions

3.1. Confidentiality and data protection

• Protection of unpublished data: To prevent the content of manuscripts under review (full text, abstracts, data, etc.) from being leaked into external AI training databases, inputting or uploading manuscripts into generative AI is strictly prohibited.

3.2. Reviewer responsibility and limited permission

• Prohibition of automated review generation: In principle, the evaluation of manuscripts and the automatic generation of review reports by reviewers using AI are restricted. Reviews must be based on the reviewer's expert knowledge and critical thinking.
• Allowed exception: However, it is permitted to use AI as a tool for simple grammar correction or refining the expression of English review comments written directly by the reviewer. Even in this case, specific details of the manuscript must not be included.

4. AI Usage Declaration

If technologies beyond simple grammar checks and editing are used, authors must specify the tools used and the purpose through an "AI Usage Declaration" upon submission. (A declaration is not required if AI was used solely for simple English editing.)

• (Example) AI Usage Declaration: “The author(s) declare that AI was not used for drafting the manuscript, data analysis, or result interpretation during the research and writing process.”
• The ‘AI Usage Declaration’ will be printed on the final article.