Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy

Eqien – Jurnal Ekonomi dan Bisnis recognizes that generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools and AI-assisted technologies, such as large language models and chatbots, are increasingly used in research and scholarly writing. This policy sets out how authors, reviewers, and editors may use these tools while protecting the integrity, originality, and confidentiality of the scholarly record. It follows the COPE position statement Authorship and AI Tools (Committee on Publication Ethics) and complements the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Guidelines.

1. AI Tools Cannot Be Authors

AI tools do not meet the criteria for authorship. They cannot take responsibility for the work, approve the final version, declare conflicts of interest, or hold copyright. Therefore, AI tools must not be listed as an author or co-author of a manuscript and must not be cited as an author.

2. Use of AI by Authors and Mandatory Disclosure

  • Authors may use AI tools to improve the readability and language of their own manuscript, or as part of the research methods, provided that the use is supervised and verified by the authors.
  • Any use of generative AI beyond basic spelling and grammar checking must be disclosed in a separate statement titled Declaration of Generative AI Use, placed before the References section. The statement must name the tool (and version), the purpose, and the extent of its use.
  • Tools that only check spelling, grammar, or punctuation do not need to be declared.
  • When AI is used as part of the research design, data collection, or data analysis, it must be described in the Methods section in sufficient detail to allow the work to be evaluated and reproduced.

3. Author Responsibility

  • Authors are fully responsible for the entire content of their manuscript, including the accuracy of facts, originality, interpretation, and every reference cited.
  • Authors must carefully check all AI-assisted output, because AI tools can produce statements and references that are incorrect, biased, or fabricated. Citing non-existent or fabricated references is treated as research misconduct.
  • AI must not be used to generate, fabricate, or manipulate research data or results, nor to produce the core scientific arguments, interpretations, or conclusions of the manuscript.
  • The journal's plagiarism policy applies equally to text produced with the help of AI tools.

4. Images, Figures, and Data

Generative AI must not be used to create or alter images, figures, tables, or research data in submitted manuscripts. The only exception is when the use of AI is part of the research design or methods, in which case it must be fully described in the Methods section. Adjustments that do not change the information presented, such as brightness or contrast, are acceptable.

5. Use of AI by Reviewers

  • Manuscripts under review are confidential. Reviewers must not upload a manuscript, any part of it, or their review report into generative AI tools, as this may breach the authors' confidentiality and rights to their data.
  • The scientific assessment of a manuscript must be the reviewer's own. Reviewers must not use AI tools to evaluate a manuscript or to write the review report. Reviewers may use tools to improve the language of their own report, provided that no manuscript content is shared with the tool.

6. Use of AI by Editors

Editors are bound by the same confidentiality obligations. Editors must not upload manuscripts, review reports, or decision letters containing manuscript content into generative AI tools. All editorial decisions are made by the editors and are not delegated to AI tools.

7. Screening and Handling of Violations

The journal may use similarity-checking and other screening tools when assessing manuscripts. The results of such tools are treated as indicators to be examined by the editors and are never the sole basis for an editorial decision. Undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI will be handled in accordance with COPE guidance and the journal's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Guidelines, and may result in rejection of the manuscript, correction, or retraction of a published article.

8. Example of a Disclosure Statement

Declaration of Generative AI Use: During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [name of tool, version] to [purpose, e.g. improve the readability of the manuscript]. After using this tool, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the publication.

9. Review of This Policy

This policy takes effect on 16 September 2026 and will be reviewed periodically as AI technologies and scholarly publishing standards evolve.