Policy on the Use of AI

Jurnal Online Pertanian Tropik (JOPT) recognizes the rapid development and increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), including generative AI tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and similar technologies, in scientific research and scholarly publishing. To maintain academic integrity, research ethics, transparency, and accountability, JOPT establishes the following policy concerning the use of AI and AI-assisted technologies in accordance with the principles of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

1. AI and Authorship

  • No AI Authorship: Artificial intelligence tools cannot assume responsibility for the integrity of scientific research, approve a manuscript for publication, hold copyright, or manage conflicts of interest. Therefore, AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors of manuscripts submitted to JOPT.
  • Human Accountability: Human authors retain full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, validity, and integrity of all manuscript content, including text, analyses, figures, tables, and other materials generated or modified with AI assistance.
  • Authorship Responsibility: All listed authors must meet the journal's authorship requirements and must review and approve the final manuscript before submission.

2. Authors' Responsibilities and Declaration

  • Mandatory Disclosure: Authors must disclose the use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in manuscript preparation, including AI-assisted writing, translation, summarization, generation of scientific content, and other substantial contributions to the manuscript.
  • Declaration Section: Authors must include a section entitled "Declaration of Generative AI Use" in their manuscripts, following the official JOPT manuscript template. The declaration must identify the AI tool or service used and describe the purpose of its application.
  • Verification: Authors must carefully review, verify, and, where necessary, correct all AI-assisted content before manuscript submission. The use of AI does not reduce or transfer the authors' responsibility for the published work.
  • Basic Non-generative Tools: Routine use of basic spelling checkers, conventional grammar correction, and reference management software that does not generate substantive manuscript content generally does not require a separate AI declaration.

Example of declaration if no generative AI tools were used:

The authors declare that no generative AI or AI-assisted technologies were used in the preparation of this manuscript.

Example of declaration if generative AI tools were used:

The authors used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE]. All AI-assisted content was reviewed and verified by the authors, who take full responsibility for the final manuscript.

3. Accuracy, Verification, and Research Integrity

  • Fact-Checking: Authors must independently verify all AI-generated statements, scientific explanations, numerical information, and research interpretations. AI-generated content may contain inaccurate, misleading, or fabricated information.
  • References and Citations: Authors must verify the existence, accuracy, and relevance of all references suggested or generated by AI tools. Fabricated references, incorrect DOIs, and unsupported citations are unacceptable.
  • Research Data Integrity: AI tools must not be used to fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent research data, experimental observations, statistical analyses, or scientific findings.
  • Scientific Interpretation: Authors remain responsible for interpreting their research results and ensuring that all conclusions are supported by valid scientific evidence.

4. Use of AI in Research Data, Images, and Figures

JOPT recognizes that AI technologies may be used as legitimate research tools, including for image analysis, classification, predictive modeling, data processing, and other scientific applications. Such use must be methodologically justified, transparent, and scientifically reproducible.

  • Methodological Transparency: When AI forms part of the research methodology, authors must describe the tools, models, procedures, and relevant parameters in the Method section, with sufficient detail to support scientific evaluation and reproducibility.
  • Image Integrity: AI must not be used to fabricate or deceptively alter photographs, microscopy images, experimental results, graphs, or other scientific evidence.
  • AI-Generated Illustrations: The use of AI-generated conceptual illustrations or graphical materials must be disclosed, appropriately labeled, and must not misrepresent actual experimental observations.
  • Data Protection: Authors must ensure that the use of AI tools complies with applicable ethical requirements, confidentiality obligations, intellectual property rights, and data protection regulations.

5. AI Use by Reviewers

Peer reviewers are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality, independence, and integrity of the peer-review process.

  • Confidentiality: Reviewers must not upload unpublished manuscripts, research data, figures, or other confidential submission materials to publicly accessible or external generative AI services without explicit authorization from the journal and appropriate confidentiality safeguards.
  • Independent Evaluation: Scientific evaluation, critical judgment, and recommendations regarding manuscript quality must remain the responsibility of the human reviewer.
  • Transparency: Any permitted substantive use of AI assistance during peer review must be disclosed to the editorial office.

6. AI Use by Editors and Editorial Staff

  • Editorial Confidentiality: Editors and editorial staff must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and must not disclose unpublished content to external AI services without appropriate authorization and safeguards.
  • Editorial Independence: Decisions concerning manuscript acceptance, revision, or rejection must be made by authorized human editors based on scientific quality, originality, ethical compliance, and peer-review assessments.
  • Responsible Assistance: AI-assisted tools may support appropriate administrative or technical editorial tasks, provided their use does not compromise confidentiality, fairness, or editorial accountability.

7. Non-compliance and Editorial Actions

JOPT reserves the right to investigate suspected misuse of AI or AI-assisted technologies in submitted or published manuscripts. Potential violations include undisclosed substantive AI use, fabricated citations, manipulated research data, misleading AI-generated images, and other practices that compromise scientific integrity.

Depending on the nature and severity of the concern, the editorial office may request clarification or corrections, require additional documentation, reject a manuscript, or initiate appropriate post-publication actions, including corrections or retractions, in accordance with the journal's Publication Ethics policy and relevant COPE guidance.

8. Policy References and Related Guidelines

This policy should be read together with the following ethical guidance and journal requirements:

JOPT is committed to promoting the ethical, transparent, and responsible use of artificial intelligence in agricultural research and scientific publishing while maintaining human accountability for all scholarly contributions.