Generative AI Policies

Agro Bali : Agricultural Journal

1. Overview and Core Principles

Agro Bali : Agricultural Journal recognizes the potential of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies (“AI Tools”) to support researchers in literature synthesis, manuscript drafting, language optimization, and research efficiency.

However, AI technology must strictly serve as a supportive tool under direct human supervision. AI tools must never be used as a substitute for human critical thinking, expertise, data interpretation, and scientific evaluation. All manuscripts submitted to Agro Bali : Agricultural Journal must represent the authentic and original intellectual contributions of the authors.

2. Authorship and Accountability

  • AI Cannot Be Listed as an Author: AI tools, deep research agents, or language models cannot be credited, listed, or cited as authors, co-authors, contributors, or corresponding authors. Authorship carries legal and ethical responsibilities that can only be attributed to and performed by human researchers.
  • Full Author Responsibility: Authors bear sole responsibility and accountability for the entire content of their submitted manuscript. This includes:
    • Verifying the accuracy, completeness, and objectivity of all AI-generated text, summaries, or insights.
    • Ensuring that AI-generated citations/references are valid and existing (preventing hallucinated or fabricated literature).
    • Ensuring data privacy, protection of intellectual property, and adherence to copyright laws when using any third-party AI tool.
    • Ensuring that all text, figures, and code are free from ethical misconduct or plagiarism.

3. Acceptable vs. Unacceptable Uses of AI Tools

A. Acceptable Uses (Permitted with Disclosures where applicable)

Authors may use AI Tools for the following purposes:

  • Language and Formatting Refinement: Checking grammar, spelling, sentence structure, and improving readability.
  • Drafting Assistance: Assisting with content organization, generating initial ideas, or synthesizing literature, provided the content is thoroughly reviewed, substantially rewritten, and verified by the authors.
  • Coding and Scripting: Assisting in data analysis scripts/coding, provided authors test, verify, and retain full control over data processing.
  • Figure & Image Optimization: Minor aesthetic adjustments (e.g., brightness, contrast, alignment, or clarity) that do not alter scientific data or mislead interpretation.

B. Unacceptable Uses (Strictly Prohibited)

Authors must NOT use AI Tools for:

  • Data Generation & Fabrication: Creating synthetic research findings, experimental outcomes, survey data, or statistical values.
  • Literature Fabrication: Generating false citations, fake DOI references, or hallucinatory research summaries.
  • Image Manipulation: Generating synthetic scientific images or altering primary image data in ways that obscure, modify, or misrepresent research results.
  • Unrevised Automated Writing: Generating substantial portions or full sections of manuscripts without author intervention and critical analysis.

4. Transparency and Mandatory Disclosure Statement

Disclosure Requirements

  • Mandatory Statement: Authors must explicitly declare the use of Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in the manuscript preparation process upon initial submission.
  • Standard Grammar/Spelling Exemption: Basic tools used solely for checking grammar, spelling, or reference formatting (e.g., standard spell-checkers, basic Grammarly) do not require a declaration statement.
  • Placement: The declaration must be included in a dedicated section titled “Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted Technologies in Manuscript Preparation” located immediately before the References section in the submitted manuscript.

Format and Example Declaration

The declaration statement must specify:

  1. The specific tool/service used (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Midjourney, etc.)
  2. The specific purpose and scope of assistance.

Example Disclosure Statement:

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-assisted Technologies in Manuscript Preparation During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL / SERVICE] in order to [SPECIFY REASON, e.g., improve language clarity and readability / structure the literature overview / assist in coding for data analysis]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) thoroughly reviewed, edited, and verified the content, and take(s) full accountability for the content of the published work.

5. Data, Images, and Figure Integrity

  • All data, charts, diagrams, photographs, and micrographs must reflect factual and verifiable research results.
  • If image-editing AI tools are used to enhance image clarity or aesthetics:
    • No original scientific content may be added, removed, or concealed.
    • Authors must disclose the image editing tools used if requested by the editorial team.
    • Any manipulation that distorts scientific facts will be treated as visual content misconduct.

6. AI Policy for Peer Reviewers and Editors

Peer review is a confidential and critical component of scientific publishing that requires human expertise, critical judgment, and professional responsibility. To protect confidentiality, authors' intellectual property, and peer-review integrity, Agro Bali : Agricultural Journal enforces strict policies regarding the use of Generative AI by reviewers and editors:

  • Strict Prohibition of Manuscript Uploads: Reviewers and editors are strictly prohibited from uploading, copying, or pasting submitted manuscripts, abstracts, figures, datasets, or any supplementary materials into Generative AI tools, Large Language Models (LLMs), or online platforms (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, or automated summarizers). Doing so violates data privacy laws and infringes upon the authors' intellectual property rights and research confidentiality.
  • Prohibition of AI-Generated Peer Review Reports: Reviewers must compose their evaluation reports, constructive feedback, and publication recommendations independently. The use of Generative AI to generate, summarize, or draft peer review comments or decision letters is strictly forbidden. Peer review reports must reflect the reviewer’s own scientific assessment, expertise, and critical evaluation.
  • Detecting AI-Generated Misconduct: Reviewers are encouraged to alert the Editorial Board if they suspect that a manuscript contains AI-generated data fabrication, unverified references, or undisclosed full-text AI generation. However, reviewers should not rely solely on automated AI detectors, as these tools can produce false positives/negatives; potential issues must be flagged for editorial investigation.
  • Limited Exemptions: Reviewers may only use basic, non-confidential tools (e.g., standard spell-checkers or grammar-checking tools) to refine the language of their own review comments, provided no part of the confidential manuscript is shared with external servers or public AI models.
  • Editorial Accountability: Editors bear final responsibility for all editorial decisions. Editors must not use AI tools to evaluate manuscript quality, assess reviewer feedback, or make final publication decisions.

7. Misconduct and Sanctions

Failure to declare the use of Generative AI, undisclosed automated text generation, data fabrication, or any misuse violating publication ethics will be handled in accordance with the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) guidelines. Actions may include:

  • Immediate rejection of the manuscript.
  • Post-publication retraction (if discovered after publication).
  • Official notification to the authors' home institution/funding agency.

Imposition of a temporary or permanent submission ban to Agro Bali : Agricultural Journal.