Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Articles
Heritage of Southwest Asia (HSAJ) recognizes the responsible, transparent, and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies in the research and scholarly publishing process. This policy is intended to uphold the authenticity, accuracy, transparency, and academic integrity of published articles.
1. Authors’ Responsibility
The use of AI tools does not reduce the scientific or ethical responsibilities of authors. The author(s) remain fully responsible for the content, accuracy of information, analyses, references, data, images, and results presented in their articles.
AI-generated output must be carefully reviewed, independently verified, and, where necessary, corrected before being used. The use of AI-generated content, references, or data without independent verification is not acceptable.
2. Disclosure of AI Use
When generative AI or other AI tools are used substantially in the generation or editing of text, translation, data analysis, code development, preparation of tables or charts, image generation, or other parts of the research, authors must disclose the type and name of the tool used and describe how it was used.
When AI is used as part of the research methodology, its use must be described in sufficient detail in the Methods section.
The use of ordinary tools for checking spelling, grammar, and punctuation, when they do not generate or substantively alter the scientific or intellectual content of the article, does not require separate disclosure.
3. AI Cannot Be Listed as an Author
Artificial intelligence tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, and other similar systems, cannot be listed as an author or co-author of an article. Authorship and scholarly accountability can only be attributed to human authors.
4. Research Data, Images, and Evidence
The use of AI to fabricate, falsify, distort, or misleadingly alter research data, findings, documentary images, archaeological materials, images of cultural objects, or other research evidence is prohibited. In articles published by HSAJ, images and documentation relating to historical and archaeological materials must accurately represent the actual subject or condition under investigation. Any use of AI for image processing or generation must not distort the nature or meaning of the research evidence and, where substantive AI use is involved, must be transparently disclosed.
5. Confidentiality and Data Protection
Authors, reviewers, and editorial board members must not submit unpublished manuscripts, confidential information, sensitive data, or personal information to public or insecure AI tools without first ensuring that appropriate confidentiality and data-protection requirements are in place.
Users should also review the terms of use, privacy policy, and data-retention and data-use practices of any AI tool before using it. This is particularly important when dealing with unpublished manuscripts and information belonging to third parties.
6. Use of AI in Peer Review and Editorial Processes
Reviewers and editorial board members must not upload the full text or confidential parts of submitted manuscripts to public AI tools.
Scientific evaluation and editorial decision-making must remain under human responsibility and independent scholarly judgment. AI tools must not replace the independent assessment or decision-making of reviewers or editors.
7. Example of an AI Use Declaration
When AI has been used in the preparation of an article, authors may include a statement such as:
Declaration of AI Use: During the preparation of this article, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL] for [DESCRIPTION OF USE]. After using this tool, the author(s) reviewed and edited the output as necessary and take full responsibility for the content of the final article.
HSAJ may request additional information from authors, where necessary, regarding the nature and extent of their use of AI tools.
Last updated: 29 September 2026