Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Turkish Journal of Ophthalmology recognizes the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, including large language models (LLMs) and other AI-driven platforms, in manuscript preparation, peer review, and editorial processes. While these tools may offer valuable assistance, transparency, accountability, and ethical considerations must remain central.
For Authors
Disclosure Requirements:
Authors must explicitly disclose in the Methods or Acknowledgements section if AI tools were utilized during manuscript preparation, specifying the software name and version.
Authors must clearly outline the specific roles played by AI tools, such as text generation, data analysis, or visualization.
Authorship and Accountability:
AI systems do not qualify for authorship. Authors listed must have substantial intellectual input and must accept responsibility for manuscript content.
Authors are accountable for reviewing, validating, and approving all AI-generated content.
Data Accuracy and Validation:
Authors must rigorously validate any data or analyses derived from AI tools. Misrepresentation or inaccuracies resulting from AI may constitute scientific misconduct.
Human verification and interpretation of AI-generated results are mandatory prior to submission.
Ethical Considerations:
Use of AI tools must adhere to ethical standards regarding privacy, confidentiality, and data protection.
Compliance with relevant ethical guidelines and institutional policies on scientific research is required.
For Reviewers
Prohibition of Artificial Intelligence Use
Reviewers must not use artificial intelligence tools at any stage of the evaluation process.
The preparation of review reports, analyses, and recommendations must be conducted solely on the basis of the reviewer’s own academic expertise, knowledge, and independent judgment.
Reviewers may not utilize third-party software, automated content generation systems, or AI-assisted analytical tools.
Responsibility and Academic Integrity
Review evaluations must be personal, original, and independent. Reviewers are individually responsible for all opinions and recommendations they provide.
The evaluation process must be carried out in accordance with principles of scientific ethics, and no external automated content generation or analytical support may be used.
Confidentiality
Reviewers may not upload, transfer, or disclose the content of submitted manuscripts to any digital platform, software, or external tool.
The confidentiality of submitted works is absolute, and all information related to the review process must not be shared with third parties.
By accepting to review a manuscript, reviewers undertake to comply with the above provisions.
For Editors
Transparency and Disclosure:
Editors must disclose any significant use of AI tools during manuscript evaluation and decision-making processes.
Editors should specify the extent and context in which AI tools contributed to editorial decisions.
Accountability and Validation:
Editors retain full responsibility for final publication decisions, regardless of AI assistance.
Editorial decisions based on AI-generated information require thorough human validation and interpretation.
Ethical and Confidential Considerations:
Editors must ensure ethical use of AI in compliance with privacy, confidentiality, and institutional guidelines.
Editorial workflows incorporating AI tools must protect authors' and reviewers' confidentiality and data security.
