Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

1. Purpose

The Journal of Joining and Corrosion and Protection (JCP) recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies are increasingly used in scholarly communication. This policy aims to promote transparency, research integrity, and responsible use of AI throughout the publication process.

This policy applies to authors, editors, reviewers, and all participants involved in the submission, evaluation, and publication of manuscripts.

2. Authors: Use of AI Tools

2.1 Disclosure Requirement

Authors must disclose any significant use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies during the preparation of a manuscript.

Examples include, but are not limited to:

• ChatGPT
• Claude
• Gemini
• Copilot
• Grammarly AI
• Other large language models or AI-assisted writing tools

Disclosure should be included in either:

• the Acknowledgements section; or
• a dedicated "Declaration of AI Use" section.

2.2 Permitted Uses

AI tools may be used to assist with:

• language editing and proofreading;
• grammar and style improvement;
• manuscript organization and formatting;
• literature exploration and information retrieval;
• coding assistance;
• data processing and analysis support;
• reference management.

Authors are encouraged to verify all AI-generated outputs before submission.

2.3 Authorship

AI systems cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.

Authorship requires accountability, responsibility, and the ability to respond to questions regarding the integrity of the work. These responsibilities can only be fulfilled by human authors.

2.4 Author Responsibility

Regardless of whether AI tools are used, authors remain fully responsible for:

• the originality of the work;
• the accuracy of all statements, analyses, and citations;
• compliance with copyright requirements;
• compliance with publication ethics standards;
• the integrity of all submitted content.

The use of AI does not transfer responsibility from authors to any software system.

2.5 Recommended Disclosure Statement

Authors may use the following wording:

"During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [TOOL NAME] for [PURPOSE]. The author(s) reviewed and edited the content as necessary and take full responsibility for the content of this publication."

3. Editors: Use of AI Tools

3.1 Confidentiality

Editors must protect the confidentiality of manuscripts, reviewer reports, and editorial communications.

Editors must not upload confidential manuscript content, reviewer comments, author information, or editorial correspondence to public or unsecured AI systems.

3.2 Permitted Editorial Use

Editors may use AI-assisted tools for administrative or operational support provided that:

• confidentiality is maintained;
• no sensitive manuscript information is disclosed;
• applicable privacy and data protection regulations are respected;
• human oversight remains in place.

3.3 Editorial Responsibility

AI tools may assist editorial workflows but cannot replace human editorial judgment.

All decisions regarding:

• peer review;
• revision requests;
• acceptance;
• rejection;
• corrections;
• retractions;

must be made by qualified human editors.

4. Reviewers: Use of AI Tools

4.1 Confidentiality

Reviewers must maintain strict confidentiality throughout the peer review process.

Manuscript content, author information, reviewer reports, and review-related materials must not be disclosed to unauthorized individuals or systems.

4.2 Restrictions on AI Use

Reviewers must not upload manuscript content, author information, or review materials to public or unsecured AI systems without explicit authorization from the journal.

Review reports should represent the reviewer's own independent scientific assessment.

4.3 Human Evaluation

Reviewers are responsible for personally evaluating:

• scientific novelty;
• methodological rigor;
• data interpretation;
• ethical compliance;
• relevance to the journal scope.

These assessments must not be delegated to AI systems.

5. Transparency and Integrity

The journal supports the responsible and transparent use of AI technologies.

Undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI that compromises research integrity, confidentiality, originality, or ethical standards may result in:

• manuscript rejection;
• withdrawal of accepted manuscripts;
• publication corrections;
• article retraction;
• additional editorial actions where appropriate.

6. Compliance

The Editorial Office may request clarification regarding AI use at any stage of the submission, review, or publication process.

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to cooperate fully with any requests related to AI disclosure and compliance.

7. Policy Development

This policy has been developed with reference to guidance issued by major scholarly publishers and publication ethics organizations, including:

• Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
• Cambridge University Press
• Elsevier
• Springer Nature
• Wiley

The journal reserves the right to update this policy as technologies and industry standards evolve.

8. Contact

Questions regarding this policy may be directed to:

Editorial Office

Journal of Joining and  Corrosion Protection

Email: jcp@sunlitpub.com