ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) POLICY

1. Use of AI by Authors

The International Journal for Peace and Public Leadership (IJPPL) recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) tools may assist researchers with certain technical aspects of academic work. However, scholarly articles must reflect the authors’ own intellectual contribution, critical judgment, and responsibility.

Authors may use conventional word-processing tools and AI-assisted tools for spelling, grammar, proofreading, and language editing. AI-assisted search tools may also be used to identify potentially relevant literature and sources, provided that authors independently examine and verify the sources before relying on them.

The use of generative AI to produce or substantially rewrite a manuscript’s intellectual content—including its central arguments, analysis, interpretation of evidence, or conclusions—is not permitted. AI-generated text, references, quotations, data, or other material must not be presented as authentic or independently verified scholarly work. Authors must not rely on AI-generated citations or summaries without checking the original sources.

2. Disclosure and Author Responsibility

Authors are responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and scholarly quality of their submissions, regardless of whether AI tools have been used. AI systems cannot be listed as authors or credited with authorship.

Any use of generative AI beyond routine spelling and grammar correction, including AI-assisted language editing or research assistance, must be disclosed in the manuscript, identifying the tool used and the nature and purpose of its use. Such disclosure does not make permissible any use prohibited by this policy.

Authors must ensure that their use of AI does not infringe copyright, compromise confidentiality, introduce fabricated or misleading information, or violate research ethics.

3. Use of AI by Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers must preserve the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and the integrity of the peer-review process. Unpublished manuscripts, confidential editorial correspondence, and identifiable reviewer reports must not be uploaded to external generative AI systems unless their use has been expressly authorized by the journal and appropriate confidentiality safeguards are in place.

Editors may use authorized AI tools to assist in the preliminary assessment of manuscripts for possible undisclosed or prohibited AI use. Such assessments are advisory and must not, on their own, establish a policy violation or determine an editorial decision. Any concerns must be evaluated through independent examination of the manuscript and relevant evidence.

AI tools must not replace reviewers’ independent scholarly evaluation or editors’ judgment in decisions concerning publication. Editors and reviewers remain responsible for the accuracy, fairness, and confidentiality of their assessments.

4. Compliance

The journal may request clarification concerning the use of AI in a submission. Where there is evidence that this policy has been violated, the journal will assess the circumstances and may reject the manuscript or take other appropriate action in accordance with its publication ethics procedures.