Generative AI Policy

EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation recognizes that the rapid development of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technologies and advanced language models presents significant opportunities for enhancing scholarly communication. At the same time, these technologies also raise important concerns related to research integrity, transparency, accountability, and intellectual responsibility in academic publishing.

In response to these developments, and with reference to the recommendations outlined in the STM Association’s 2023 White Paper on Generative AI in Scholarly Communications and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) Position Statement on Authorship and AI Tools, EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation establishes a clear policy governing the responsible use of generative AI tools in the scholarly publishing process.

This policy applies to all stages of the publication workflow, including manuscript preparation, peer review, editorial decision-making, and post-publication activities. The journal supports the ethical and transparent use of AI technologies to improve aspects of scholarly writing, such as language refinement and data organization, provided that such use does not compromise academic integrity or obscure the intellectual contributions of human authors.

Through this policy, EDUNOVATION aims to ensure that the potential benefits of generative AI technologies are utilized responsibly while maintaining the highest standards of scholarly rigor, ethical accountability, and transparency in academic publishing.

Acceptable AI Use and Responsibilities for Authors

Authors submitting to EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation may use GenAI tools for basic language and formatting tasks such as grammar correction, style consistency, and reference formatting without explicit disclosure, provided such use does not alter the intellectual content or conceptual contributions of the work. However, any significant use of GenAI that shapes the research narrative, generates new textual passages, performs data analysis, creates figures, or influences the study’s conceptualization must be clearly disclosed. These disclosures should appear in a dedicated "AI Contributions" subsection within the Methods or Acknowledgments, specifying the tool, version, provider, and the exact nature of its input and output. GenAI systems cannot be credited as authors, as they lack legal personhood and the ethical capacity to take responsibility for scholarly claims. Human authors are fully responsible for all content, including AI-assisted elements, and must ensure the accuracy, originality, and proper citation of AI-generated content.

Editorial and Peer Review Protocols

Editorial staff and peer reviewers are also bound by strict ethical guidelines to maintain confidentiality and uphold the integrity of the review process. EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation prohibits the use of public GenAI platforms for plagiarism detection, confidentiality checks, or automated decision-making due to the opaque nature of their training data and uncertain data retention policies. Editors may use specialized, publisher-approved AI services under formal contracts, ensuring proper safeguards for manuscript confidentiality, intellectual property, and data security. All final editorial decisions must be based on human judgment, with AI outputs serving as an informational tool but never replacing the expertise of editors or reviewers. Reviewers are explicitly prohibited from uploading unpublished manuscripts to public AI platforms or using such platforms to generate reports in order to preserve the integrity and confidentiality of the review process. If a reviewer suspects undisclosed substantial AI use by authors, they must report their concerns to the handling editor, following COPE's guidelines on suspected AI misuse in peer review.

Scholarly Transparency

EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation urges readers and the broader academic community to respect the boundaries of GenAI usage. Readers are discouraged from submitting full-text EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation articles to public AI models in order to protect the intellectual property of authors and maintain the confidentiality of unpublished data. Published articles that include substantial AI-assisted contributions will carry a footnote clearly indicating the extent of AI involvement, allowing readers to evaluate the source and reliability of the findings.

Future Revisions

Compliance with this policy will be monitored through periodic audits of published content, and COPE's flowcharts will be implemented to address any ethical violations. Instances of undisclosed or inappropriate AI use may lead to EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation misconduct procedures, which could involve corrections, retractions, or other remedial actions. Given the rapid development of GenAI technologies, EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation will review and update this policy biennially or in response to significant technological or ethical advancements. With these measures, EDUNOVATION: Journal of Education and Innovation reaffirms its commitment to promoting innovation while maintaining the core values of transparency, accountability, and scholarly excellence.