Policy for the use of Artificial Intelligence Tools

The accelerating development of artificial intelligence poses ethical and legal challenges concerning the integrity and safety of scientific research. Al-Riyada Journal acknowledges the potential of generative AI tools (such as intelligent assistants and advanced research tools) in supporting the research process, such as generating and exploring ideas, identifying research gaps, assisting non-native language authors in expression, and accelerating the pace of research and publication.

However, the journal is committed to ensuring the responsible use of these technologies and requires all authors and reviewers to adhere to the following policy:

First: Policy for Reviewers' Use of AI Tools

  1. Confidentiality and Security: The manuscript must be treated as a confidential document. Uploading or submitting it to generative AI platforms is prohibited to protect the confidentiality of the work, the intellectual property rights of the authors, and the privacy of any personal data it may contain.

  2. Reporting Misuse: The reviewer must immediately notify the editorial board if they observe any signs of AI misuse in the research, such as AI-generated content or fabricated data.

  3. Transparency of Use (if applicable): If a reviewer utilizes any AI tool while preparing their review report, they must clearly and transparently disclose this within the report.

  4. Independence of Opinion: The review report and final decision must be based on the reviewer's own critical and original assessment, not on machine-generated conclusions. Critical thinking transcends the capabilities of these tools, which may sometimes produce inaccurate, incomplete, or biased conclusions.

Second: Policy for Authors' Use of AI Tools

Authors bear full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and ownership of their research content. They should consider the following:

  1. Examination and Verification: Meticulous review of all AI outputs to ensure their accuracy, comprehensiveness, and neutrality, and verifying the validity of all cited references and sources (as tools may generate fictitious references).

  2. Avoiding Plagiarism: Caution against reproducing substantive text from other sources without proper attribution. Authors should always consult original sources and ensure correct citation.

  3. Originality and Editing: The manuscript must ultimately reflect the author's personal ideas, analyses, and conclusions. Therefore, any AI-generated material must be carefully edited and adapted to the author's specific research context.

  4. Permissible Illustrative Use: The use of AI-generated examples for illustrative purposes only is permitted, provided they are clearly indicated in the body of the research and appropriately cited.

  5. Prohibited Limitations:

    • Substantive Content: The use of AI to generate fundamental research content (e.g., abstract, theoretical framework, methodology, analysis, conclusions) is prohibited.

    • Data Fabrication: Using these tools to generate or falsify data or statistical results is strictly prohibited. All data must be original and verifiable from reliable sources.

  6. Data Privacy: Authors should review the terms of use of any AI tool to ensure they do not violate the privacy and confidentiality of their research data or personal inputs.