Artificial Intelligence Usage Policy

JAKESPOL: Journal of Health Policy Analysis recognizes the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in scholarly communication, particularly in supporting academic writing and analytical workflows. The journal permits the limited, responsible, and transparent use of AI-assisted technologies, while strictly upholding human intellectual contribution, accountability, and ethical standards in health policy research.

This policy aligns with international best practices, including principles from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and leading academic publishers.

Permitted Uses of AI Tools

Authors may use AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, DeepL, QuillBot) only for:

  • Language editing, grammar correction, and stylistic refinement

  • Improving clarity, coherence, and readability without altering analytical meaning

  • Supporting early-stage structuring of manuscripts, including conceptual or policy frameworks

All outputs must be critically reviewed, validated, and fully controlled by the authors.

Strictly Prohibited Uses

The following uses are not permitted:

  • Generating substantial scientific or policy content (e.g., background, methods, results, discussion, policy recommendations, conclusions)

  • Producing, simulating, or manipulating datasets, statistical outputs, policy indicators, or analytical models

  • Generating references, citations, or bibliographic entries

  • Using AI to fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent evidence or policy interpretation

  • Submitting AI-generated content without human verification and accountability

  • Listing AI tools as authors or co-authors

Violations may result in rejection, retraction, and further investigation in accordance with COPE guidelines.

Disclosure and Transparency

Authors must disclose any use of AI tools in a dedicated section titled Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies in the Writing Process.

The disclosure must include:

  • Name of the AI tool(s) used

  • Purpose of use (e.g., language editing only)

  • Confirmation that all outputs were reviewed and approved by the authors

Failure to disclose AI use constitutes a breach of publication ethics.

Author Responsibilities and Accountability

  • Authors retain full responsibility for the originality, validity, and integrity of all content

  • All analyses, interpretations, and policy recommendations must be human-generated

  • Authors are accountable for any inaccuracies, bias, or ethical violations arising from AI use

  • Authors must provide clarification if requested by editors or reviewers regarding AI involvement

Data Governance and Policy Sensitivity

Given the nature of health policy research, authors must ensure that AI tools are not used in ways that compromise:

  • Confidential or sensitive policy data

  • Government or institutional information not intended for public disclosure

  • Ethical handling of population-level or administrative data

AI tools must not be used to process restricted datasets unless compliant with data protection regulations and institutional approvals.

Editorial Oversight

Editors and reviewers may request additional clarification, revisions, or raw data if AI use raises concerns about validity, originality, or integrity.

Manuscripts suspected of inappropriate AI use may undergo additional screening or ethical review.

Policy Review and Updates

This policy will be periodically updated to reflect advancements in AI technologies and evolving global standards in scholarly publishing and health policy research.

JAKESPOL supports the responsible integration of AI tools to enhance clarity and efficiency, while maintaining rigorous standards of human scholarship, analytical depth, and ethical integrity in health policy analysis.