Generative AI

Balkanistic Worlds recognizes that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies may support scholarly research and manuscript preparation. Their use must be responsible, transparent, and consistent with academic integrity.

Authors

Authors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, integrity, and content of their manuscripts, regardless of whether AI tools have been used.

AI tools may be used in a supportive capacity, for example to assist with:

  • language, clarity, and readability;

  • organization or structure of a manuscript;

  • literature exploration or preliminary research support;

  • translation, provided that the result is carefully verified.

AI-generated content must be critically reviewed and verified by the authors. Authors are responsible for checking factual statements, sources, quotations, references, and potential bias.

AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors.

AI must not be used to fabricate or falsify data, results, references, or other scholarly material, or to conceal plagiarism or other forms of misconduct.

Disclosure of AI Use

Authors should disclose the use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies when they have made a substantive contribution to the preparation of the manuscript.

The declaration should identify:

  • the AI tool or service used;

  • the purpose for which it was used;

  • the extent of its use and human oversight.

Basic spelling, punctuation, and grammar checks do not normally require disclosure.

The following statement may be used:

Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies: During the preparation of this work, the author(s) used [NAME OF TOOL/SERVICE] for [PURPOSE]. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the published article.

The declaration should appear in the manuscript before the References and, where applicable, will be published with the article.

If AI tools are used as part of the research methodology, data analysis, code development, or other substantive research procedures, their use should be described in the relevant Methods section, including sufficient information for transparency and reproducibility.

Images, Figures, and Data

AI must not be used to fabricate, manipulate, or misrepresent research data or primary research images.

AI-assisted explanatory figures or conceptual illustrations may be used where appropriate, provided that their use is disclosed and the authors verify their accuracy and originality.

AI-generated or AI-assisted figures should be identified in the relevant figure caption when applicable.

Reviewers

Submitted manuscripts are confidential. Reviewers must not upload a manuscript, or any part of it, to a generative AI tool.

AI tools may be used only in a limited, supportive manner that does not compromise manuscript confidentiality. Reviewers remain fully responsible for their assessments and reports.

Editors

Editors must not upload submitted manuscripts or confidential manuscript content to generative AI tools.

AI may be used only for limited supportive tasks that do not involve sharing confidential manuscript content. Editorial decisions, assessments, and recommendations remain the responsibility of the editors.

Privacy and Intellectual Property

Authors, reviewers, and editors should verify the privacy, confidentiality, data-retention, and intellectual-property terms of any AI tool they use.

Unpublished manuscripts, confidential peer-review material, personal data, or other protected information must not be entered into AI systems where confidentiality cannot be ensured.

This policy may be updated as AI technologies and standards of responsible scholarly publishing develop.