Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage Policy

MILLATI: Journal of Islamic Studies and Humanities recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI tools may support scholarly research and manuscript preparation. Their use must remain transparent, responsible, and consistent with academic integrity. This policy is informed by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)'s Authorship and AI Tools position statement and Elsevier's Generative AI Policies for Journals. It applies to authors, editors, and peer reviewers involved in MILLATI's publishing process.

1. Human Authorship and Accountability

AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of scholarly work. Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted to MILLATI, including material produced or assisted by AI. They must verify factual claims, quotations, translations, interpretations, references, data, and other AI-assisted outputs before submission. AI tools must not replace the authors' own intellectual contribution, critical judgment, or scholarly interpretation.

2. Permitted and Prohibited Uses

AI tools may be used as supportive instruments for tasks such as language improvement, manuscript organization, literature discovery, translation, data analysis, coding, and the preparation of illustrative materials, provided that their use is appropriate to the research and subject to meaningful human oversight.

Authors must not use AI to fabricate or falsify research data, invent sources or references, misrepresent quotations or translations, manipulate research evidence, or present substantially AI-generated scholarly work as their own original intellectual contribution without appropriate disclosure and genuine human scholarly input.

For research involving Arabic texts, classical Islamic sources, manuscripts, or historical documents, authors must independently verify AI-assisted translations, quotations, and interpretations against the original sources. AI-generated images must not be presented as authentic historical, archival, or documentary evidence.

3. Disclosure Requirements

Authors must disclose substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in preparing a manuscript. Disclosure is required when such tools generate or substantially revise text, translate source material, summarize or interpret research materials, analyze data, generate images, or contribute to other substantive research procedures. The disclosure should identify the tool used, its purpose, and the nature of its contribution. The tool's version should also be provided where reasonably available.

Where AI forms part of the research methodology, its use must be described in the Methods section with sufficient detail to explain the procedure. AI-generated or AI-modified figures must be identified in their captions where applicable. Routine spelling and grammar correction, basic proofreading, and ordinary non-generative formatting tools do not require disclosure.

Authors may use the following statement where appropriate:

“During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of tool] for [specific purpose]. The authors reviewed and verified the resulting output and accept full responsibility for the accuracy, originality, and integrity of the submitted work.”

4. Confidentiality and Editorial Responsibilities

Editors and peer reviewers must protect the confidentiality of submitted manuscripts, reviewer reports, and editorial communications. They must not upload confidential manuscript materials or other protected editorial information to external AI systems without explicit authorization from the journal and appropriate confidentiality safeguards. AI must not replace independent scholarly assessment or determine editorial decisions. Any authorized AI assistance must remain subject to human oversight, and the responsible editor or reviewer retains full accountability for the work.

5. Compliance

The editorial office may request clarification or further information concerning AI use when necessary to assess a manuscript's originality, accuracy, transparency, or research integrity. Concerns about undisclosed or inappropriate AI use will be assessed on the available evidence and in accordance with MILLATI's Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement and other applicable editorial policies. Automated AI-detection results alone will not be treated as conclusive proof of misconduct. This policy may be reviewed periodically to reflect developments in AI technology and evolving standards of responsible scholarly publishing.