Artificial Intelligence (AI) Disclosure Policy

1. Introduction

The Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal (PAFMJ) recognizes the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI)–assisted technologies in research and manuscript production. This policy outlines the requirements for authors regarding the disclosure and responsible use of AI in the production of submitted work.

2. AI-Assisted Technologies Disclosure

At the time of submission, authors are required to disclose whether they used AI-assisted technologies, including Large Language Models (LLMs), chatbots, image creators, or similar technologies, in the production of their submitted work.

3. Author Responsibility

Authors utilizing AI-assisted technologies are responsible for ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the work. AI, including chatbots like ChatGPT, cannot be listed as authors, as they lack the capability to take responsibility for these critical aspects of authorship.

4. Submission Requirements

Authors using AI-assisted technologies should provide a comprehensive description of how they employed such technology in both the cover letter and within the submitted work itself. This disclosure should elucidate the specific role of AI in the research and manuscript preparation processes.

5. Prohibition of AI as an Author

Chatbots, AI, and AI-assisted technologies should not be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship is a responsibility that requires the ability to ensure accuracy, integrity, and originality, which AI lacks.

6. Review and Editing by Humans

Authors using AI should rigorously review and edit the output generated by AI. AI technologies, while powerful, can produce authoritative-sounding content that may be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. It is the responsibility of human authors to correct and refine the material.

7. Plagiarism Check and Attribution

Authors are required to assert that there is no plagiarism in their paper, including in text and images produced by AI. Humans must ensure proper attribution of all quoted material, providing full citations for any content generated by AI-assisted technologies.

8. Attribution in Submitted Material

Appropriate attribution must be given for all content, including text and images, generated by AI-assisted technologies. Authors should ensure that readers can clearly distinguish between human-generated content and content produced with AI assistance.

9. Compliance and Accountability

Authors are expected to comply with this policy to ensure the ethical use of AI in research and manuscript preparation. Non-compliance may result in editorial actions, including but not limited to rejection of the submission.

10. Review and Updates

This policy is subject to periodic review to align with evolving ethical standards and technological advancements. Updates will be communicated, and authors are encouraged to stay informed about the latest requirements.