Artificial Intelligence Policy

Artificial intelligence is transforming how research is conducted, written and evaluated. Oxton Journals adopts a clear, platform-wide policy on the use of AI in scholarly publishing, applicable to all hosted journals and to every actor in the editorial process. The guiding principles are transparency, human accountability and confidentiality.

AI and Authorship

Generative AI tools (such as large language models) cannot be listed as authors under any circumstance. Authorship implies accountability for the integrity of the work, the ability to approve the final version and responsibility for responding to questions about the research — obligations that only humans can assume, in line with ICMJE and COPE positions.

Permitted Uses by Authors

Authors may use AI tools as assistive technology — for language editing, translation support, code assistance or exploratory analysis — provided that every use is transparently declared in the mandatory AI Use Statement collected at submission, identifying the tool, version and purpose. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality and integrity of all content, including any content drafted or edited with AI assistance. Fabricated references, fabricated data or undisclosed AI-generated content are treated as research misconduct.

Prohibited Uses

• Presenting AI-generated text, images, data or references as original human work without disclosure;
• Using AI to fabricate or manipulate research data or images;
• Listing an AI system as author or co-author;
• Submitting confidential manuscripts to public AI tools (this applies to reviewers and editors — see below).

AI and Peer Review

Manuscripts under review are confidential documents. Reviewers and editors must not upload manuscripts, in whole or in part, to public AI tools, as this violates confidentiality and may expose unpublished work. The evaluation itself must reflect the reviewer's own expert judgment; AI may not be used to generate review reports.

AI in the Platform's Operation

Where the platform employs automated checks (for example, documentary validation of submissions), these are deterministic verifications that support — and never replace — human editorial judgment. Editorial decisions at Oxton Journals are always made by humans and documented with their justification.

Declaration and Enforcement

Every submission includes a mandatory AI Use Statement, published with the article. Undisclosed or prohibited AI use identified before publication leads to rejection; if identified after publication, it is handled under the Editorial Integrity policy, and may result in correction or retraction following COPE guidance.