Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative Tools Policy

Himalayan Publisher is committed to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, transparency, originality, and ethical scholarly publishing. All journals published under Himalayan Publisher follow this Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative Tools Policy.

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, including generative AI tools and large language models (LLMs), has introduced new opportunities and challenges in scholarly communication. This policy outlines the acceptable and responsible use of AI-assisted technologies in manuscript preparation, research reporting, peer review, and editorial processes.

Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all journals, authors, reviewers, editors, editorial board members, and contributors associated with Himalayan Publisher.

AI tools may include, but are not limited to:

• ChatGPT
• Gemini
• Claude
• Copilot
• Grammarly AI
• QuillBot
• DeepSeek
• Other machine learning or generative AI systems

Acceptable Use of AI Tools

Authors may use AI-assisted tools only for limited supportive purposes, including:

• Improving language, grammar, spelling, or readability
• Formatting or organizing content
• Assisting with coding or data visualization
• Literature search support
• Translation assistance
• Generating graphical abstracts or illustrations with proper disclosure

The use of AI must always remain under full human supervision and responsibility.

Authors are fully responsible for:

• The accuracy of all content
• Scientific validity of the manuscript
• Proper citation and referencing
• Originality of the work
• Compliance with publication ethics

Prohibited Use of AI Tools

The following uses of AI are strictly prohibited:

• Generating fabricated, misleading, or false data
• Creating fake citations or references
• Manipulating images, figures, or results deceptively
• Producing entirely AI-generated manuscripts without substantial human contribution
• Using AI to fabricate peer reviews or reviewer identities
• Plagiarism or paraphrasing copyrighted content without attribution
• Uploading confidential reviewer or editorial materials into public AI systems

Any manuscript found to involve unethical AI use may be rejected, retracted, or subjected to further ethical investigation.

Authorship and Accountability

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they:

• Cannot take responsibility for the work
• Cannot provide consent for publication
• Cannot manage conflicts of interest
• Cannot ensure research integrity

Only human contributors who meet authorship criteria may be listed as authors.

Mandatory Disclosure Requirement

Authors must clearly disclose any significant use of AI or generative tools in the manuscript. Disclosure should appear in one of the following sections where appropriate:

• Methods
• Acknowledgments
• Cover Letter
• Dedicated “AI Usage Disclosure” statement

Example Disclosure Statement

“The authors used AI-assisted tools for language editing and grammatical improvement during manuscript preparation. All scientific content, interpretations, and conclusions were reviewed and verified by the authors.”

Failure to disclose substantial AI usage may result in manuscript rejection or post-publication correction.

AI Use in Peer Review and Editorial Processes

Reviewers and editors must maintain strict confidentiality of submitted manuscripts.

Reviewers and editors are prohibited from:

• Uploading unpublished manuscripts into public AI tools
• Sharing confidential research content with AI systems
• Using AI to generate complete peer-review reports without human evaluation

Editors may use limited AI-supported tools for technical checks such as:

• Language assessment
• Plagiarism screening
• Reference formatting
• Workflow assistance

Final editorial decisions will always remain under human responsibility.

Research Integrity and Ethical Compliance

Himalayan Publisher follows internationally recognized publication ethics principles and reserves the right to:

• Request clarification regarding AI usage
• Conduct originality and integrity checks
• Reject manuscripts with unethical AI involvement
• Retract published articles if ethical violations are discovered

Authors, reviewers, and editors are expected to ensure transparency, honesty, accountability, and responsible AI use throughout the publication process.

Policy Updates

As AI technologies continue to evolve, Himalayan Publisher may revise or update this policy periodically to align with international publishing standards, ethical guidelines, and best practices in scholarly communication.

By submitting manuscripts to any journal under Himalayan Publisher, authors acknowledge and agree to comply with this AI Generative Policy.