Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Journal: Pakistan Social Sciences Review (PSSR) 
ISSN (Online): 2664-0430
ISSN-L: 2664-0422

Purpose

This policy establishes the Journal’s requirements for the responsible, transparent, and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation, submission, peer review, and publication of manuscripts. The policy aims to promote academic integrity, transparency, and accountability while recognizing the appropriate use of AI technologies in scholarly publishing.

Acceptable Use of AI

Authors may use AI-assisted tools for the following purposes, provided that all outputs are critically reviewed, verified, and approved by the authors:

  • Language editing, grammar correction, and improvement of readability.
  • Formatting references and citations.
  • Data organization, analysis, and visualization.
  • Programming or coding assistance.
  • Literature mapping and information synthesis.
  • Drafting or refining limited portions of text under the direct supervision of the authors.
  • Generating summaries, outlines, or other writing aids that are subsequently verified and revised by the authors.

The use of AI should support, but must not replace, the intellectual contributions, critical judgment, and scholarly responsibility of the authors.

Confidentiality and Responsible Use

Authors should not upload confidential, unpublished, proprietary, or sensitive research data into publicly accessible AI systems unless such use complies with applicable institutional policies, legal requirements, contractual obligations, and data privacy regulations.

Mandatory Disclosure

Any use of AI tools in the preparation of a manuscript must be disclosed in a dedicated section entitled “AI Use Statement” immediately before the References section.

The disclosure should identify:

  • The name of the AI tool(s) used.
  • The version (where applicable).
  • The specific purpose(s) for which the AI tool was used.

Example AI Use Statement

“The authors used [AI Tool Name] to assist with language editing and manuscript organization. All AI-generated outputs were critically reviewed, verified, and revised by the authors. The authors accept full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the manuscript.”

If no AI tools were used, no disclosure statement is required.

Author Responsibility

Authors remain fully responsible for every aspect of the submitted manuscript, including:

  • The accuracy, validity, originality, and integrity of all content.
  • Verification of facts, data, analyses, references, citations, and interpretations.
  • Compliance with ethical, legal, copyright, licensing, and data protection requirements.
  • Ensuring that AI-generated content does not contain fabricated, misleading, biased, plagiarized, or inaccurate information.
  • Ensuring that AI-generated references and citations correspond to genuine and accurately cited scholarly sources.
  • Obtaining all necessary permissions where required.

The use of AI does not diminish or transfer the authors’ responsibility for the submitted work.

AI Authorship

Artificial Intelligence tools do not meet the requirements for authorship because they cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, originality, integrity, or ethical conduct of scholarly work. Accordingly, AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors of any manuscript.

Prohibited Uses

The following practices are not permitted:

  • Listing AI tools as authors or co-authors.
  • Submitting AI-generated content without substantial human review, verification, and revision.
  • Using AI to fabricate, manipulate, falsify, or misrepresent data, results, citations, references, images, figures, tables, or research findings.
  • Using AI to generate fictitious references, quotations, or supporting evidence.
  • Using AI to create or modify images, figures, or graphical content in a manner that misrepresents the underlying research.
  • Using AI to circumvent plagiarism detection, peer review, or research integrity requirements.
  • Using AI in any manner that violates research ethics, confidentiality, privacy, intellectual property rights, or applicable laws and regulations.

Use of AI by Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers are expected to preserve the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Confidential manuscript content must not be uploaded to AI systems that may retain, learn from, or disclose submitted material without appropriate safeguards and authorization. Any use of AI by editors or reviewers must comply with the Journal’s editorial policies and applicable confidentiality obligations.

Editorial Assessment

The Editorial Board reserves the right to request additional information or supporting documentation regarding the reported use of AI tools. The Journal may evaluate whether the disclosed use of AI complies with its publication ethics, editorial policies, and accepted standards of scholarly publishing.

Compliance

Failure to disclose the use of AI tools, or the misuse of AI technologies, may result in one or more of the following actions, as appropriate:

  • Rejection of the manuscript.
  • Withdrawal or retraction of a published article.
  • Publication of corrections or editorial notices.
  • Notification of the authors’ institution or funding agency, where appropriate.
  • Any other action deemed necessary in accordance with the Journal’s publication ethics policies.

Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed periodically to reflect developments in Artificial Intelligence technologies, scholarly publishing standards, publication ethics, and international best practices.

Effective Date: 01-06-2026

Approved by: Editorial Board, Pakistan Social Sciences Review (PSSR) 

Version: 1.0