Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Journal of Asian Orientation in Theology recognizes that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies can support scholarly research, writing, and dissemination. However, these technologies must not replace human intellectual responsibility, critical thinking, scholarly judgment, or original academic contribution. AI must not be used as a substitute for researchers’ responsibility to develop scholarly arguments, analyze and interpret evidence, or formulate conclusions.

The journal distinguishes between three categories of AI use: assistive use, which generally does not require disclosure; generative use, which requires disclosure; and prohibited use, which is not permitted under this policy.

1. Assistive AI Use: Disclosure Generally Not Required

Authors may use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies to improve the readability, grammar, spelling, language, and structure of their manuscripts. Such use is considered assistive when the technology functions solely as a language or editorial aid and does not generate substantive scholarly arguments, interpretations, research findings, or conclusions.

Disclosure is generally not required for this limited use. However, authors must exercise appropriate human supervision and carefully review, verify, and edit all AI-assisted output. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and scholarly quality of their submissions, including any errors or misleading statements introduced by AI tools.

AI-assisted editing must not be used to conceal plagiarism, misrepresent authorship, fabricate sources, or evade the journal’s editorial and ethical requirements.

2. Generative AI Use: Disclosure Required

Authors must disclose the use of generative AI when it contributes substantively to the research process, the development of scholarly content, or the preparation of the manuscript beyond routine language and editorial assistance.

Disclosure is required, where applicable, when AI tools are used for activities including:

Assisting with literature reviews, identifying relevant sources, or synthesizing scholarly literature.
Developing research questions, conceptual frameworks, analytical approaches, or substantive arguments.
Translating materials as part of the research process when the translation materially contributes to the analysis or scholarly content.
Generating text, interpretations, summaries, or other substantive content incorporated into the manuscript.
Creating illustrations, images, diagrams, or infographics included in the article.
Assisting with data processing, analysis, interpretation, or visualization.
Developing or refining search strategies or other research procedures in ways that materially affect the research process.

Authors must describe the use of AI in sufficient detail to enable readers to understand how the technology contributed to the work. Where relevant, the disclosure should identify the tool or service, its version or model if available, the purpose of its use, and the methods or prompts employed. Authors must independently verify AI-generated content, citations, factual claims, and analytical outputs.

AI tools should not ordinarily be cited as primary scholarly sources. Authors must consult and cite the original sources supporting their claims whenever possible. When AI-generated images or other AI-generated materials form a substantive part of the article, the use of the relevant tool should be acknowledged appropriately.

Required Disclosure Statement

Authors must include a separate section titled Declaration of Generative AI Use before the references whenever disclosure is required.

The following statement may be adapted to the actual use of AI:

“During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL OR SERVICE, INCLUDING VERSION OR MODEL IF AVAILABLE] for [SPECIFIC PURPOSE]. The author(s) reviewed, verified, and edited the resulting material as necessary and take full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and final content of the published article.”

If multiple tools were used for different purposes, authors should describe each tool and its contribution clearly. Authors must not make a disclosure that understates or misrepresents the extent of AI assistance.

3. Prohibited Use of AI

Journal of Asian Orientation in Theology prohibits the use of AI in ways that compromise scholarly integrity, research ethics, confidentiality, or the reliability of the academic record.

Prohibited practices include:

Using AI to fabricate or falsify research data, evidence, references, quotations, or scholarly sources.
Submitting AI-generated arguments, interpretations, or conclusions as original scholarly contributions without the required disclosure and meaningful human intellectual responsibility.
Using AI to produce or manipulate research findings in a misleading manner.
Using AI to conceal plagiarism, duplicate publication, or other forms of research or publication misconduct.
Listing an AI system as an author or co-author. Authorship requires human accountability and responsibility.
Uploading confidential manuscripts, unpublished research, personal data, or other protected materials to AI services in violation of confidentiality, privacy, intellectual property, or applicable data-protection requirements.
Using AI in ways that undermine the confidentiality or impartiality of peer review and editorial decision-making.

The editorial team may reject a submission or take further action when inappropriate AI use is identified. Decisions will take into account the nature and seriousness of the concern, the evidence available, and the journal’s applicable publication ethics procedures. Authors may be asked to clarify or document their use of AI.

4. AI Use by Reviewers

Reviewers must not upload manuscripts, unpublished research, confidential peer-review materials, or identifiable author information to generative AI systems or other third-party AI services in ways that could compromise confidentiality or intellectual property rights.

Reviewers must not delegate the substantive evaluation of a manuscript to generative AI. Peer review requires independent human scholarly judgment, critical assessment, and accountability. Reviewers are responsible for the originality, fairness, confidentiality, and accuracy of their assessments.

5. AI Use by Editors

Editors must exercise independent scholarly judgment in evaluating manuscripts and making editorial decisions. They must not use generative AI to replace their own assessment of a manuscript, generate substantive editorial decisions without independent evaluation, or disclose confidential manuscript content through unauthorized AI services.

Editors must not use generative AI to generate decision letters or summaries of unpublished research where doing so could compromise confidentiality, intellectual property rights, or the integrity of the editorial process. Editorial decisions must remain the responsibility of the designated human editor.

6. Editorial Oversight and Accountability

Journal of Asian Orientation in Theology reserves the right to request clarification about AI use when necessary to assess a manuscript’s originality, reliability, or compliance with this policy. The editorial team may use appropriate methods to investigate suspected violations, consistent with applicable ethical and confidentiality requirements.

Failure to disclose AI use when required, misrepresentation of AI-generated material, or prohibited use of AI may result in rejection, a request for revision, correction, retraction, or other appropriate action, depending on the circumstances and the stage of publication.

Authors, reviewers, and editors remain accountable for their respective contributions and responsibilities throughout the publication process.

7. Review of the Policy

Journal of Asian Orientation in Theology will periodically review and update this policy in response to developments in AI technology, scholarly publishing, research ethics, and relevant professional standards. Any revisions will be published on the journal’s official website.