Generative AI systems, large language models, chatbots, and other AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot take responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, originality, or ethical compliance of scholarly work.

Authors may use AI-assisted technologies for language improvement, grammar checking, translation assistance, coding support, data-processing assistance, literature organization, or other supporting activities provided that AI does not replace the authors' intellectual responsibility or create misleading research content.

Authors remain fully responsible for all submitted content. They must independently verify facts, calculations, references, citations, analyses, interpretations, and conclusions produced or assisted by AI. Fabricated references, invented data, false quotations, or unverifiable AI-generated claims are prohibited.

AI must not be used to fabricate, falsify, or deceptively manipulate respondents, research data, statistical results, images, figures, tables, interview transcripts, references, or other research evidence. Legitimate analytical assistance must not alter the meaning or integrity of the original research evidence.

Editors and reviewers must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts. Unpublished manuscripts, confidential reviewer reports, identifiable research data, or private author information must not be uploaded to public AI platforms when doing so could compromise confidentiality, intellectual property, privacy, or editorial integrity.

Suspected undisclosed or inappropriate AI use will be assessed according to the journal's publication-ethics and research-misconduct procedures. Depending on the evidence and publication stage, the journal may request clarification or correction, reject a manuscript, or take appropriate post-publication action.