Generative AI Policy

Computer generated Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fast becoming an integral part of modern research.  While AI tools and/or technology (AI-TT) may offer investigators many important advantages, it is essential to recognize and minimize any and all potential associated dangers.  To help mitigate these risks and uphold NAMES’ rigorous publishing standards, the following regulations have been devised.

  1. Any and all information generated via AI-TT must be independently fact-checked by the author(s) to verify the authenticity, veracity, and accuracy of said information. The author(s) assume(s) complete and sole responsibility and exclusively carries any and all potential legal jeopardy for the authenticity, veracity, and accuracy of all information provided in their manuscript, be it AI-generated or not. 
  2. Researchers who utilize AI-TT at any point during the investigatory process must also include a transparent disclosure statement at the end of their manuscript. This disclosure statement must clearly specify the exact name and source of the AI-TT used as well as the exact date(s) the AI-TT was accessed and the precise text prompt utilized.  In addition, the exact manner in which said AI-TT was used must be fully disclosed. 
  3. Although AI-TT may be used to assist researchers in gathering, coding, and analyzing big data too large or complex for non AI-TT computation; performing literature searches; and proofreading, NAMES does not accept articles that are authored in whole or in part by AI-TT. This prohibition extends to text passages which were originally generated by AI-TT and then modified by human authors, be it in whole or in part. Manuscripts found to violate this regulation may be immediately and permanently rejected at any stage of the submission or publication process.
  4. Manuscripts that have already been accepted for publication, assigned an issue, and/or published in NAMES may be immediately and permanently removed from the journal’s holdings if they are found to have utilized AI-TT without making the proper, mandatory written disclosure of said use. Such a failure to disclose may also be considered sufficient grounds for rejecting future submissions from said authors.
  5. Researchers are warned that material generated by AI-TT may be subject to copyright. Authors will carry the sole and exclusive legal jeopardy which may result from any and all copy infringements resulting from their use of AI-TT.
  6. AI-TT may not be used to falsify or fabricate data with the purpose of deceiving or manipulating the reader. Any and all instances of data manipulation will be considered a serious breach of NAMES Ethical Codes and will result in the rejection or retraction of the manuscript in question.
  7. Any and all breaches of the AI-TT policies that result in the retraction of a manuscript published in NAMES shall be publicly reported in a “corrigendum”. This report shall include the name and affiliation of the author(s); the full citation for the retracted publication; and a concise description of the violation(s).
  8. Authors should direct any questions or concerns about the use of AI-TT to the NAMES Editor-in-Chief (nameseditor@gmail.com).    
  9.  Formal submission of a manuscript for possible publication in NAMES will be understood as authorial understanding of and agreement with the terms contained in the journal's publication, ethics, and AI-TT policies.