1. Use of AI by Authors

Authors may use generative AI tools or Large Language Models (LLMs) — such as ChatGPT — solely to enhance language clarity, grammar, and readability, and only under full human oversight.

AI tools must not:

• Generate scientific content, interpretations, conclusions, or data.
• Replace critical thinking, analysis, or original scholarly contribution.
• Produce, modify, or manipulate data, images, or figures, except in explicitly allowed cases.

Authors remain fully responsible for verifying the accuracy, validity, and originality of all submitted content.

Required Disclosure:

If AI or AI-assisted tools were used in the writing process, authors must include a disclosure statement in the Acknowledgments or Methods section specifying:

• The name of the tool.
• The purpose of use.
• A statement confirming human oversight.

No disclosure is required for basic tools such as grammar checkers, spell checkers, or reference managers.

2. AI and Authorship

AI tools, including LLMs, cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship requires:

• Human accountability.
• Intellectual contribution.
• Ability to consent and take responsibility for the work.

LLMs do not meet these criteria and therefore cannot qualify for authorship under TPB or international authorship standards (ICMJE/WAME).

3. AI-Generated Scientific Content

The journal prohibits the use of AI tools to:

• Generate or alter scientific results.
• Produce literature reviews without verification.
• Draft or modify hypotheses, interpretations, or conclusions.

Any scientific content generated by AI without full human control constitutes a violation of research integrity and may lead to rejection or retraction.

4. Policy on AI-Generated Images and Figures

Given ongoing legal and ethical concerns related to AI-generated visual content, TPB adheres to strict guidelines:

Prohibited

• AI-generated images, figures, or diagrams intended to represent scientific data.
• AI-created photographs or biological imagery.
• Images with unclear copyright or unverifiable provenance.

Allowed (with exceptions)

• Artwork or conceptual illustrations created with legally compliant tools, provided authors retain rights and disclose their use.
• AI-generated images in manuscripts specifically analyzing AI technologies, evaluated case-by-case.

Machine Learning Tools

Non-generative AI used to enhance, filter, combine, or adjust contrast/clarity of pre-existing images is permitted only if disclosed in the figure legend and if original data remain intact and interpretable.

5. Use of AI by Peer Reviewers

To maintain confidentiality, editorial independence, and research integrity, peer reviewers are strictly prohibited from:

• Uploading manuscripts or supplementary materials into generative AI tools.
• Using external AI systems that store, process, or learn from submitted content.
• Allowing AI to make evaluative or scientific judgments in the review process.

AI tools may provide superficial assistance (e.g., grammar refinement), but only under reviewer control and without sharing confidential manuscript content.

Reviewer Disclosure: If AI tools contributed to any part of the review (e.g., language assistance), the reviewer must disclose this in the confidential peer-review report.

6. Editorial Use of AI

TPB editors may use AI tools internally to support:

• Language checks.
• Technical screening.
• Plagiarism detection.
• Reference verification.

AI will never be used to make editorial decisions, accept or reject articles, or evaluate scientific content.

7. Accountability

Authors, reviewers, and editors remain fully accountable for all content created with AI assistance, and for compliance with:

• COPE guidelines
• ICMJE authorship standards
• WAME recommendations