Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

HEXAGRO allows limited, transparent use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies ("AI tools", such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or similar) and follows the COPE position statement on authorship and AI tools. AI tools may support research and writing, but they never replace human expertise, critical thinking, and scholarly judgment.

Authors

  • AI tools cannot be listed or cited as authors or co-authors, because authorship carries responsibilities that only humans can fulfil.
  • Verification and accuracy: authors must review all AI-assisted content for correctness, completeness, and impartiality, and check every reference, because AI-generated citations may be inaccurate or fabricated.
  • Original contribution: AI-assisted material must be edited so that the manuscript reflects the authors' own analysis, interpretation, and intellectual contribution.
  • Ethical and legal safeguards: authors must respect data privacy, intellectual property rights, and the terms of service of any AI tool used.
  • AI-generated or AI-altered images and research data are not permitted unless AI is part of the research method and is described in the Methods section.
  • Authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the integrity and originality of the whole manuscript.

Declaration of generative AI use

Any use of AI tools in preparing the manuscript must be declared at submission, in a separate section placed before the References. The declaration appears in the published article.

  • Section title: Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Manuscript Preparation
  • Statement: "During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL / SERVICE] to [SPECIFIC PURPOSE, e.g., assist with language refinement, literature synthesis]. The author(s) subsequently reviewed, verified, and edited the content, and take full responsibility for the accuracy and originality of the published article."

No declaration is needed for basic tools such as grammar checkers, spelling correctors, or reference managers, or when no AI tools were used.

Reviewers

  • Reviewers must not use generative AI tools to evaluate manuscripts or to write review reports. The scientific assessment must be the reviewer's own.
  • Reviewers must not upload manuscripts, or any part of them, into AI tools, because this breaches confidentiality.

Editors

  • Editors must not use generative AI tools to evaluate manuscripts or to write decision letters, and must not upload manuscripts into AI tools. Editorial decisions are made by people.
  • Editors may use similarity-checking and AI-detection tools to screen manuscripts. Their results are treated as an indication to be checked, not as proof.

Undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI is handled as a breach of publication ethics. This policy may be updated as AI tools and international guidance develop.