1. Authors’ Responsibilities and Obligations Regarding the Use of AI Tools
Authors may use AI tools for various purposes, including literature searches, conducting research, organizing content, and improving language and readability. However, AI tools must not replace the authors’ critical thinking or professional expertise. Authors remain fully responsible for their work and must comply with the following requirements:

• Authors must carefully review and verify the accuracy and fairness of all outputs generated by AI tools. Authors are responsible for any inaccurate, fabricated, manipulated, or otherwise misleading content generated using AI tools.
• Authors must thoroughly review, edit, and revise all outputs generated by AI tools to ensure that the final work reflects their own analyses, interpretations, insights, and ideas.
• Authors must not list or cite AI tools as authors. Authorship entails responsibilities and obligations that can be undertaken and fulfilled only by humans.
• Authors must review and comply with the terms of use of all AI tools they use and must ensure the privacy and confidentiality of all data and information entered into such tools. Authors should grant an AI tool or its service provider only those rights that are strictly necessary for the provision of the service and must not grant any additional rights.
• Authors must provide clear and detailed disclosure of their use of AI tools. For detailed disclosure requirements, see Section 3, “Disclosure of AI Tool Use.”

2. Use of AI Tools in Figures, Images, and Artwork
Authors may use AI tools in the preparation of figures, images, and artwork. However, authors are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and originality of all visual materials submitted for publication. This responsibility includes confirming that the concepts presented are accurate and reflect the authors’ own work and ideas.
When outputs generated by AI tools are based on existing works, images, or graphics, authors must provide appropriate attribution and obtain permission from the relevant rights holders where required. Authors must not use AI tools to reproduce, imitate, or generate images that depict or closely resemble copyrighted images, real persons, or identifiable products or brands belonging to others.

a. Explanatory Images

• Explanatory images include flowcharts, decision trees, timelines, schematic conceptual diagrams, and other images intended to illustrate concepts, processes, or relationships.
• Authors may use AI tools to create explanatory images but must carefully review the resulting materials to ensure that they do not infringe copyright or other intellectual property rights.
• Authors are responsible for verifying that AI-generated explanatory images accurately represent their research.

b. Data Visualizations

• Data visualizations include plots, charts, graphs, and other visual representations of results derived from underlying datasets.
• Authors must not use AI tools to manipulate research results, generate or alter underlying data, or produce results that were not derived from the research.
• AI tools may be used only to assist in creating data visualizations when the visual output is directly derived from the underlying data.
• Authors must carefully verify that outputs generated by AI tools do not distort or misrepresent their data and remain fully responsible for the accuracy of the resulting visualizations.

c. Primary Research Images

• Primary research images include images representing direct observations or experimental data, such as microscopy images, histological images, and photographs.
• Authors must not use AI tools to generate images that purport to represent primary observational or experimental data that were not directly obtained through the research.
• Authors must not use AI tools to modify or alter primary research images. This restriction includes adjustments to brightness, contrast, or color balance. Any such adjustments must be performed directly by the authors using established image-processing software.

3. Disclosure of AI Tool Use
Authors must provide transparent and detailed disclosure of any use of AI tools for purposes other than basic grammar and spelling correction.
When AI tools have been used as part of the research process rather than solely for manuscript preparation, authors must describe their use in detail in the Methods section. This description should include the name and version of the tool or service, the purpose for which it was used, and sufficient information to allow readers to understand and, where applicable, reproduce its use.
When AI tools have been used for any purpose other than basic grammar and spelling correction, authors must also include a separate declaration immediately before the reference list as follows:

Title of section:
Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted Technologies Use
Statement:
During the preparation of this work, the authors used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE OF USE]. After using this tool/service, the authors reviewed and edited the content as necessary and take full responsibility for the content of the published article.

Reviewers are responsible for the scientific evaluation and judgment of the manuscripts assigned to them. Because AI tools may generate inaccurate, incomplete, or biased conclusions, they must not replace the reviewer’s independent assessment. Reviewers remain fully responsible for the content of their review reports.

• Reviewers may use AI tools only for limited supporting purposes, such as improving the language or structure of a review report or assisting with searches for relevant background literature.
• Reviewers must not upload a manuscript under review, or any part of it, to an AI tool. Reviewers are obligated to protect the confidentiality of the manuscript and any personal or confidential information contained within it.
• When reviewers use AI tools during the review process, they must clearly disclose in the review report the name of the tool or service used, the scope of its use, and the purpose for which it was used.

Editors are responsible for independently evaluating the manuscript and reaching a final decision after considering the reviewers’ comments. AI tools must not replace an editor’s critical thinking, independent assessment, or final decision-making. Editors remain fully responsible for the editorial process, editorial decisions, and communications with authors.

• Editors may use AI tools only for limited supporting purposes, such as improving the language or structure of editorial decision letters or assisting with searches for relevant background literature.
• Editors must not upload a submitted manuscript, any part of a manuscript, or a review report to an AI tool. Editors are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of manuscripts and review reports and for protecting copyright, intellectual property rights, and personal information.
• Editors are responsible for determining whether authors or reviewers have used AI tools, assessing whether such use complies with this policy, and taking any necessary editorial action.