Policy on the use of GenAI

This policy outlines Semarang Law Review’s (SLR) position on the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of manuscripts submitted for publication. The policy aims to uphold transparency, accountability, and the integrity of the scholarly record, in accordance with international best practices in academic publishing and the principles of publication ethics.

1. AUTHORSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY

AI Cannot Be an Author

AI tools and AI-assisted technologies (including, but not limited to, large language models and generative AI systems) do not qualify for authorship, as they cannot assume responsibility for the content, originality, or ethical integrity of a manuscript. Accordingly, AI tools or software must not be listed as authors in any submission to Semarang Law Review.

Authors’ Full Responsibility

Authors bear full responsibility and accountability for all aspects of the submitted manuscript, including any content that has been generated, edited, translated, or enhanced using AI tools. This responsibility includes ensuring the accuracy, originality, validity, and ethical compliance of the manuscript. Authors must verify the factual correctness of all statements, citations, data, and figures, including those produced with AI assistance.

Mandatory Human Oversight

The use of AI tools must be subject to direct and meaningful human oversight. Authors are required to critically evaluate, revise, and validate all AI-assisted outputs to ensure compliance with scholarly standards, academic rigor, and ethical norms.

2. TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE

Mandatory Disclosure of AI Use

Authors must clearly and transparently disclose any use of AI or AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of their manuscript.

Scope of Disclosure

The disclosure must specify:

  • The name(s) of the AI tool(s) used (e.g., ChatGPT [OpenAI], Grammarly, Bard [Google], GPT-4, Midjourney).

  • The purpose(s) of use, such as language editing, grammar correction, drafting of specific sections, brainstorming, data analysis assistance, or image generation.

  • The extent of AI involvement is provided, along with a brief explanation of how the tool contributed to the manuscript.

Placement of Disclosure

The disclosure should be included in one of the following sections, as appropriate:

  • Acknowledgements (preferred for general language or writing assistance);

  • Methods section (if AI tools were used in data analysis, coding, or methodological processes);

  • A dedicated “Declaration of AI Use” statement is placed before the References section or as a footnote on the title page.

Example Disclosure Statement

Portions of this manuscript were drafted and/or edited using [name of AI tool, e.g., ChatGPT (OpenAI)]. The tool was used for [specific purpose]. All AI-assisted content was reviewed, revised, and validated by the authors, who take full responsibility for the final manuscript.”

For image generation:

“Figure X was generated with the assistance of [name of AI tool]. The authors provided the prompts and edited the output to ensure accuracy, relevance, and compliance with ethical standards.”

3. PERMISSIBLE USES OF AI (WITH DISCLOSURE)

Subject to full disclosure, AI tools may be used for:

  • Language and grammar refinement, including spelling, clarity, and stylistic improvements.

  • Drafting assistance for non-research-critical sections (e.g., parts of the Introduction or Discussion), provided substantial human revision is undertaken.

  • Brainstorming and outlining to support the organization of ideas.

  • Data analysis or visualization assistance, only when the processes are transparent, verifiable, and reproducible by human authors, and fully described in the Methods section.

  • Summarization of existing literature, with authors ensuring accuracy and proper citation of sources.

4. PROHIBITED USES OF AI

The use of AI and AI-assisted technologies is strictly prohibited for:

  • Fabricating data, results, references, or citations.

  • Plagiarism or self-plagiarism, including presenting AI-generated content as original scholarly work without proper verification and attribution.

  • Replacing human intellectual contribution, such as formulating original hypotheses, designing research methodologies, interpreting novel findings, or drawing original conclusions.

  • Breaching confidentiality, including the use of AI tools by editors or reviewers with confidential manuscript materials.

  • Misrepresentation of research, including manipulation of content to mislead readers regarding methods, results, or conclusions.

5. CONSEQUENCES OF POLICY VIOLATIONS

Non-compliance with this AI Use Policy constitutes a serious breach of publication ethics. Depending on the severity of the violation, SLR may impose one or more of the following actions:

  • Rejection of the submitted manuscript;

  • Retraction of a published article;

  • Prohibition of the author(s) from submitting future manuscripts to Semarang Law Review;

  • Notification of the author(s)’ affiliated institution(s) and relevant ethics bodies.

6. POLICY REVIEW

This policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to reflect developments in AI technologies and evolving ethical standards in scholarly publishing.

 

Note: This policy will be periodically reviewed and updated to reflect advancements in AI technology and evolving ethical guidelines in scholarly publishing.