1 Principles of AI Use in Manuscripts

AI tools may be used as supportive instruments during manuscript preparation, provided that:

• The use of AI does not replace authors’ intellectual contributions;
• Authors critically evaluate and verify all AI-assisted outputs;
• AI-generated information is checked for accuracy, originality, and appropriate scientific validity;
• The use of AI does not violate research ethics, copyright, confidentiality, or publication integrity.

AI tools should be considered assistive technologies and cannot replace human expertise, scientific judgment, or accountability in research publication ( COPE, Authorship and AI Tools ).

2 AI and Authorship

AI systems cannot meet authorship requirements because they cannot:

• Take responsibility for published content;
• Approve the final version of manuscripts;
• Declare conflicts of interest;
• Respond to questions regarding research integrity;
• Accept accountability for scientific claims.

Authorship must be limited to individuals who meet the journal’s authorship criteria and have made substantial intellectual contributions to the research and manuscript preparation ( COPE, Authorship and AI Tools ).

3 Disclosure of AI Use by Authors

Authors must disclose the use of AI tools during manuscript preparation when such tools contribute to the development of the submitted work.

Disclosure is required for AI use involving:

• Manuscript writing or text generation;
• Language editing beyond basic spelling or grammar correction;
• Data analysis or interpretation;
• Generation or modification of figures, images, or visual materials;
• Literature analysis or summarization.

Authors should provide information regarding:

• Name of AI tool used;
• Version (if available);
• Purpose of use;
• Sections or materials affected.

4 AI Use for Language Editing

The use of AI-assisted language tools for improving grammar, spelling, readability, or language clarity may be acceptable when:

• The scientific meaning remains entirely controlled by the authors;
• No scientific claims are generated without author verification;
• The final manuscript is reviewed and approved by all authors.

Basic language assistance should not replace professional scientific writing responsibility.

Authors remain responsible for ensuring that AI-assisted editing does not introduce inaccurate information, inappropriate terminology, or unintended changes in scientific meaning.

5 Prohibited Use of AI

AGRITROP prohibits the use of AI tools for:

• Generating fabricated data or research results;
• Creating false references or citations;
• Producing misleading scientific interpretations;
• Concealing substantial AI-generated manuscript content;
• Replacing authors’ intellectual contributions;
• Uploading confidential manuscripts or unpublished research information into public AI systems without permission.

6 AI Use During Peer Review

Reviewers and editors must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

Reviewers must not upload unpublished manuscripts, reviewer reports, or confidential editorial materials into publicly available AI tools unless explicitly authorized by the journal.

• The confidentiality of manuscript information;
• The accuracy of their evaluations;
• The objectivity of their recommendations.

AGRITROP follows COPE guidance that confidential manuscript information obtained during peer review must be protected and must not be used for purposes unrelated to editorial evaluation ( COPE, Ethical Guidelines for Peer Reviewers ).

7 AI and Editorial Decision-Making

Editors may use technological tools to support editorial processes, such as:

• Similarity checking;
• Manuscript management;
• Administrative workflow support.

However, editorial decisions must remain based on human evaluation and professional judgment.

AI systems cannot independently determine:

• Manuscript acceptance or rejection;
• Scientific validity;
• Ethical compliance;
• Reviewer suitability.

8 Transparency and Research Integrity

AGRITROP considers transparency regarding AI use as part of responsible scholarly communication.

The journal reserves the right to request clarification from authors regarding AI usage and may take appropriate action if undisclosed AI use affects the integrity of the publication process.

AGRITROP follows international principles of transparency, accountability, and responsible publishing practices recommended by COPE ( COPE, Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing ).

Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence