1. Purpose

This policy establishes guidelines for the transparent and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in manuscripts submitted to the Andean Journal of Education. It aligns with recommendations from the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

2. Scope

This policy applies to all authors, reviewers, and editors involved in the submission, peer review, and publication process.

3. Definitions

AI-assisted content: Work initially created by a human author and subsequently improved or refined using AI tools (e.g., grammar checking, language polishing, translation assistance).

AI-generated content: Content primarily produced by AI in response to prompts, including text, images, code, data analysis, or figures.

4. Authorship

AI tools cannot be listed as authors. Authorship requires taking responsibility for the work, approving the final version, and being accountable for all aspects of the research. Only humans can fulfil these requirements. All named authors must have made substantial contributions to the work and must take full responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of any AI-generated or AI-assisted content.

5. Disclosure requirements

5.1 When disclosure is required

Authors must disclose the use of AI tools when they have been used for:

• Generating, drafting, or substantially editing text
• Data collection, processing, or analysis
• Creating or modifying figures, images, or visualisations
• Writing or debugging code used in the research
• Literature screening or synthesis

5.2 When disclosure is not required

Disclosure is generally not required for:

• Basic spelling and grammar checking
• Standard reference management software
• Conventional word processing features

5.3 Where to disclose

• Statements and Declarations section: For AI use in writing assistance, translation, or language editing.
• Methods section: For AI use in research methodology, data collection, analysis, or figure generation.
• Cover letter: A summary of AI use should also be included in the cover letter at submission.

5.4 What to include in the disclosure

The disclosure should specify:

1. The name and version of the AI tool(s) used
2. The date(s) of access
3. The specific purpose and sections where AI was employed
4. The author's role in reviewing and validating the AI-generated content

6. Peer review

Reviewers must not upload manuscripts, in whole or in part, to AI tools, as this may breach confidentiality. AI tools should not be used to generate peer review reports. Reviewers who use AI assistance for any aspect of their review must disclose this to the editor.

7. Editorial use

Editors must not use AI tools to generate decision letters or to summarise unpublished research. Any editorial use of AI must preserve the confidentiality of the peer review process.

8. Compliance and consequences

Submissions will not be rejected solely for the disclosed use of AI. However, failure to disclose AI use when required, or inappropriate use of AI, may result in rejection of the manuscript, retraction of published articles, or other actions in accordance with COPE guidelines.

9. Sample disclosure statements

For the Statements and Declarations section:

"The authors acknowledge the use of [AI Tool Name, version] (accessed [date]) for language editing and improving the readability of the manuscript. The authors reviewed and edited all AI-generated suggestions and take full responsibility for the content of this publication."

For the Methods section:

"Data analysis was assisted by [AI Tool Name, version] (accessed [date]) to [specific task, e.g., categorize abstracts, generate initial code]. All outputs were verified by the authors against [validation method]."

10. Policy updates

This policy may be updated as AI technologies and best practices evolve. Authors should consult the most current version of this policy at the time of submission.

Effective date: 2026/2/2