AI Policy

This document serves as the guideline for the preparation of original articles for publication in the Journal of ASEAN PLUS Studies. The guidelines shall be effective for all manuscripts submitted from November 1, 2026, onward.

For Authors

1. Authors may use AI as a tool to support manuscript preparation, including grammar checking, language refinement, or preliminary data synthesis. However, AI cannot be recognized as an author or serve as a substitute for authorial responsibility. This is to ensure that the published articles contribute original knowledge, scholarly value, and academic integrity.

2. Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and academic integrity of all content submitted for publication. When AI is used to generate, analyze, or otherwise contribute to any part of the manuscript, authors must ensure that the content is original, complies with copyright or ethical standards, and is appropriately acknowledged and cited where applicable.

Ultimately, authors are responsible and accountable for the contents of their work.

3. Authors must fully, clearly, and transparently disclose any use of AI, including for data analysis and the generation of text, tables, or images. Details of such use must be provided in the Declaration of AI Use section of the article.

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Manuscript Preparation Process

During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] in order to [REASON/PURPOSE]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.

4. Authors may use AI-assisted tools for plagiarism detection, reference management, grammar checking, or language editing without specific disclosure, provided that such use does not contribute to or alter the substantive intellectual content of the article.

 For Reviewers

1. Reviewers must not upload, input, or submit the entirety or any portion of the manuscript to an AI system, as it may compromise author confidentiality, intellectual property, and personal data protection rights.

2. Reviewers should not use AI to analyze or formulate the evaluation outcomes, as the peer-review process requires independent human judgment, critical analysis, and scholarly expertise.

3. Reviewers can use AI assisted tools for grammar checking and language refinement, without affecting the reviewer’s independent assessment of the manuscript’s scholarly content.

For Editors

1. Editors must not upload, input, or submit the entirety or any portion of the manuscript to an AI system, as it may compromise author confidentiality, intellectual property, and personal data protection rights. An exception may be made for the use of approved tools designed solely to detect or verify AI-generated content.

2. Editors should establish appropriate tools or guidelines for identifying the use of AI in manuscript preparation, particularly when content exhibits characteristics commonly associated with AI-generated material. Such characteristics may include synthesized content lacking adequate references, the use of automatically generated images, unnatural language patterns, or other indicators of AI-assisted content creation.

3. Editors may use AI-assisted tools for manuscript management, including grammar checking, technical and administrative document processing, and reference verification. However, this must not influence editorial discretion, decision-making, or academic judgment, which remain the sole responsibilities of the editor.

Guidelines for Reviewing AI-Generated Articles

1. The journal will not consider for review or publication any manuscript in which AI has been used to generate the primary intellectual content or the entirety of the manuscript.

2. The journal reserves the right to reject the manuscript if the authors fail to fully disclose the use of AI or decline to assume full responsibility for the content submitted for publication.

3. Authors may appeal decisions concerning the use of AI by submitting a formal request supported by clear and verifiable evidence for consideration by the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board. If the justification is deemed valid and sufficient, the decision may be reconsidered. However, the final decision of the Editorial Board shall be binding.

4. If a published article is subsequently found to be in violation of the journal’s AI use policy, the journal reserves the right to retract the article and remove it from the journal's website in accordance with its publication ethics and retraction procedures.

References: The COPE Council (https://doi.org/10.24318/cCVRZBms) and The World Association of Medical Editors (https://wame.org/page3.php?id=106) (Updated on October 1, 2026)