Generative AI Policies

Policy Statement

These policies have been prompted by the rise of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies, which are expected to be increasingly used by content creators. They aim to provide greater transparency and guidance for authors, reviewers, editors, readers, and contributors. The Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy will continue to monitor these developments and will adjust or refine its policies as appropriate.

For Authors

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in Scientific Writing

Please note that this policy refers solely to the writing process, and not to the use of AI tools for analysing or deriving insights from data as part of the research process.

Where authors make use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies during the writing process, these tools should be employed solely to enhance the readability and language of the work. Their use must be subject to human oversight and control. Authors are expected to carefully review and edit any output generated by such technologies, as AI can produce content that, while authoritative in tone, may be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. Ultimately, the authors remain fully responsible and accountable for the content of their work.

Authors must disclose in their manuscript any use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies. A statement reflecting this disclosure will appear in the published work. Declaring the use of these technologies promotes transparency and trust among authors, readers, reviewers, editors, and contributors, and ensures compliance with the terms of use of the relevant tool or platform.

AI or AI-assisted technologies must not be listed as an author or co-author, nor should they be cited as such. Authorship entails responsibilities and contributions that can only be fulfilled by human beings. Each (co-)author is accountable for ensuring that any questions related to the accuracy or integrity of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. Authorship also requires the ability to approve the final version of the manuscript and to consent to its submission for publication.

Authors are further responsible for ensuring that the work is original, that all listed authors meet the criteria for authorship, and that the work does not infringe upon the rights of third parties. Authors are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with the journal’s Ethics in Publishing policy prior to submission.

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies for Image Creation and Manipulation

We do not permit the use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create or alter images in submitted manuscripts. This includes, but is not limited to, enhancing, obscuring, moving, removing, or introducing specific features within an image or figure. Adjustments to brightness, contrast, or colour balance are acceptable only if they do not obscure or eliminate any information present in the original image. Image forensic tools or specialised software may be applied to submitted manuscripts to detect suspected image irregularities.

The only exception to this policy is where the use of AI or AI-assisted tools forms part of the research design or methodology—such as in AI-assisted imaging approaches used to generate or interpret the underlying research data (e.g., in biomedical imaging). In such cases, the use of AI must be described in a reproducible manner in the methods section. This should include an explanation of how AI or AI-assisted tools were used in the image creation or alteration process, along with the name of the model or tool, its version and extension numbers, and the name of the manufacturer. Authors must adhere to the AI software’s specific usage policies and ensure appropriate content attribution. Where applicable, authors may be asked to provide pre-AI-adjusted versions of the images and/or the raw composite images used to produce the final submitted figures, for editorial assessment.

The use of generative AI or AI-assisted tools in the creation of artwork, such as graphical abstracts, is not permitted. In certain cases, the use of generative AI for the creation of cover art may be allowed, provided the author obtains prior permission from the journal editor and publisher, demonstrates that all necessary rights have been secured, and ensures correct content attribution.

For Reviewers

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Journal Peer Review Process

When a researcher is invited to review another researcher’s paper, the manuscript must be treated as a confidential document. Reviewers must not upload a submitted manuscript, or any part of it, into a generative AI tool, as this may violate the authors’ confidentiality and proprietary rights. Furthermore, where the manuscript contains personally identifiable information, doing so may also breach data privacy regulations.

This obligation of confidentiality also applies to the peer review report, as it may contain sensitive information regarding the manuscript and/or its authors. For this reason, reviewers must not upload their review report into any AI tool, even for the purpose of enhancing language or readability.

Peer review lies at the heart of the scientific ecosystem, and the Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy upholds the highest standards of integrity throughout this process. Reviewing a scientific manuscript entails responsibilities that can only be fulfilled by humans. Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies must not be used to aid the scientific evaluation of a manuscript, as the critical thinking and original judgement required for peer review fall outside the capabilities of these technologies. Moreover, there is a risk that such tools may generate inaccurate, incomplete, or biased assessments. Reviewers remain fully responsible and accountable for the content of their review reports.

In accordance with the Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy’s AI author policy, authors are permitted to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies during the writing process prior to submission—but only for the purpose of improving the language and readability of their manuscript, and with appropriate disclosure, as outlined in the journal’s Guide for Authors. Reviewers can find such disclosures in a dedicated section located before the reference list.

Please note that the Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy employs identity-protected AI-assisted tools which adhere to the RELX Responsible AI Principles. These include technologies used during the editorial screening process, such as tools for plagiarism detection, completeness checks, and reviewer recommendations. All such in-house or licensed technologies are designed to uphold author confidentiality and are subject to rigorous bias evaluation, as well as compliance with data privacy and security standards.

The Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy welcomes the use of AI-driven technologies that support reviewers and editors in the editorial process. We remain committed to the ongoing development and adoption of in-house or licensed tools that uphold the confidentiality and data protection rights of authors, reviewers, and editors.

For Editors

The Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Journal Editorial Process

A submitted manuscript must be treated as a confidential document. Editors must not upload a submitted manuscript, or any part of it, into a generative AI tool, as doing so may violate the authors’ confidentiality and proprietary rights. Furthermore, if the manuscript contains personally identifiable information, uploading it may also breach data privacy regulations.

This confidentiality requirement extends to all communications concerning the manuscript, including notifications and decision letters, as they may contain sensitive information about the manuscript and/or its authors. For this reason, editors should not upload such communications into AI tools, even if the intention is solely to improve language or readability.

Peer review lies at the core of the scientific ecosystem, and the Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy adheres to the highest standards of integrity throughout this process. Managing the editorial evaluation of a scientific manuscript entails responsibilities that can only be fulfilled by humans. Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies must not be used by editors to aid in the evaluation or decision-making process, as the critical thinking and original judgement required for these tasks fall beyond the scope of such technologies. Moreover, there is a risk that AI may produce conclusions that are inaccurate, incomplete, or biased. Editors remain fully responsible and accountable for the editorial process, including the final decision and its communication to authors.

According to the Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy AI author policy, authors are permitted to use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies in the writing process prior to submission, but only for the purpose of improving language and readability, and with appropriate disclosure, as outlined in the journal’s Guide for Authors. Editors can find such disclosures in a dedicated section at the end of the manuscript, before the reference list. If an editor suspects that an author or reviewer has violated the journal’s AI policies, they should notify the publisher.

Please note that the Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy employs identity-protected AI-assisted technologies that conform to the RELX Responsible AI Principles, such as tools used during the screening process for completeness checks, plagiarism detection, and reviewer identification. These in-house or licensed technologies are designed to uphold author confidentiality and are subject to rigorous bias evaluation, as well as compliance with data privacy and data security standards.

The Journal of Contemporary Governance and Public Policy embraces emerging AI technologies that support reviewers and editors in the editorial workflow. We remain committed to developing and adopting tools that respect the confidentiality and data protection rights of authors, reviewers, and editors.