Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

The *International Journal for Quality Research* permits the moderate use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, provided they adhere to high standards of copyright protection, confidentiality, and data security.

Author Responsibilities

Authors are fully accountable for the originality, validity, and integrity of their submissions. They must ensure that the content meets rigorous scientific and scholarly standards, is created by the author, and undergoes proper research and validation. If authors choose to use an AI tool, they should verify that the tool is suitable for their intended purpose and that its terms provide adequate safeguards, particularly regarding intellectual property rights, confidentiality, and security.

AI and Authorship

Generative AI tools cannot be listed as authors because they are unable to take responsibility for the submitted content or manage copyright and licensing agreements.

Permitted Uses of Generative AI

The *International Journal for Quality Research* allows the use of AI tools in the following cases:

• Idea generation and exploration
• Language improvement (e.g., grammar and style enhancement)
• Interactive online search with Large Language Models
• Literature classification and summarization

Authors using Generative AI tools must include a statement in the "Materials and Methods" section of their manuscript. This statement should specify the full name of the tool used (including version number), how it was used, and the reason for its use.

Prohibited Uses of Generative AI

Authors are forbidden from submitting manuscripts where Generative AI tools have been used in ways that replace core researcher and author responsibilities, including:

• Synthetic data generation to substitute missing data without a robust methodology
• Generation of inaccurate content, including abstracts or supplemental materials
• Text generation without rigorous revision by the author

It is also prohibited to use Generative AI tools for the creation or manipulation of images, figures, or original research data in our publications. The term "images and figures" includes pictures, charts, data tables, medical imagery, snippets of images, computer code, and formulas. The term "manipulation" includes augmenting, concealing, moving, removing, or introducing specific features within an image or figure.

Editors’ and Reviewers’ Responsibilities

Editors and reviewers are prohibited from uploading files, images, or information from unpublished manuscripts into Generative AI tools, as this may pose risks to confidentiality, proprietary rights, and data security, including personally identifiable information. Generative AI may only be used to assist with improving the language of reviews. Reviewers remain fully responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of their reviews.