AI and Generative Technologies Policy
Purpose and Scope
RITHA Publishing House acknowledges the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI technologies in scholarly research, writing, peer review, and publishing. While these technologies may provide useful support for authors, reviewers, and editors, their use must be transparent, responsible, and consistent with the principles of research integrity.
This policy applies to all journals published by RITHA Publishing House and should be read in conjunction with the Publisher's Editorial Policies, Publication Ethics, and Research Misconduct procedures.
Use of AI by Authors
Authors may use AI-assisted technologies to support legitimate scholarly activities, including language editing, translation, coding assistance, data visualisation, literature discovery, and manuscript preparation.
Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and scientific validity of all submitted content. The use of AI tools does not transfer responsibility from authors to any software application or technology provider.
Authors must carefully review, verify, and validate all AI-generated or AI-assisted content prior to submission.
Disclosure of AI Use
Where AI or Generative AI tools have made a substantive contribution to the preparation of a manuscript, authors must disclose their use at the time of submission. The disclosure should identify:
- - the AI tool or system used;
- - the purpose of its use;
- - the extent of its contribution to the manuscript.
Routine spelling, grammar, and formatting tools generally do not require disclosure.
Authorship
Artificial Intelligence systems, chatbots, Large Language Models (LLMs), and other AI technologies cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of scholarly works.
Authorship requires intellectual responsibility, accountability, and the ability to assume legal and ethical obligations, which AI systems cannot fulfil. Only individuals who meet the journal's authorship criteria may be credited as authors.
AI-Generated Content, Data, Figures, Images and Artwork
Authors are responsible for ensuring that any AI-assisted or AI-generated content included in a submission is accurate, verifiable, appropriately disclosed where required, and does not compromise the integrity of the scholarly record.
The use of Generative AI or AI-assisted tools to create, modify, enhance, manipulate, or generate figures, images, graphical abstracts, datasets, visualisations, or other research outputs must be transparent and must not misrepresent the underlying research, observations, experimental results, or empirical evidence.
AI-generated or AI-modified images, figures, artwork, and graphical elements may be permitted only when their use is scientifically justified, appropriately disclosed, and does not alter, fabricate, obscure, or distort research findings. The use of AI technologies to create, modify, or manipulate research images, experimental evidence, observational data, or visual results in a manner that could mislead readers is prohibited.
Authors may use AI-assisted tools for limited technical adjustments to images or figures, such as improving readability, correcting brightness or contrast, removing background noise, or resizing content, provided that such modifications do not alter, add, remove, obscure, or misrepresent any original information. Any adjustment must be applied to the entire image and must preserve the integrity of the underlying data.
Authors must not use AI tools to generate, fabricate, simulate, or alter primary research data, experimental observations, statistical results, or empirical findings presented as genuine research outputs. AI tools must not be used to create, replace, add, remove, combine, move, or modify elements within research images, figures, or datasets in ways that could affect the interpretation of the results. AI-generated images, figures, artwork, or graphical abstracts that are not part of the research evidence itself may be accepted in limited circumstances, provided that their use is clearly disclosed, does not create misleading scientific content, and complies with applicable copyright and licensing requirements.
Where AI technologies have been used in the preparation of figures, images, graphical abstracts, visualisations, or datasets, authors may be required to provide original files, source data, prompts, workflows, or other supporting documentation necessary to verify the authenticity and integrity of the submitted materials.
The Editorial Office reserves the right to request additional information whenever concerns arise regarding the origin, authenticity, reliability, or integrity of visual, graphical, or data-related content.
Use of AI by Peer Reviewers
Peer reviewers must maintain the confidentiality of all materials received during the review process. Manuscripts, supplementary files, reviewer reports, datasets, or other confidential materials must not be uploaded to public or commercial AI systems without explicit authorisation from the journal.
Reviewers remain fully responsible for the content and recommendations contained in their reports. AI tools must not replace independent scholarly evaluation.
Use of AI by Editors
Editors may use AI-assisted technologies to support administrative and technical aspects of editorial workflows, including language assessment, reference verification, similarity screening support, and editorial quality checks. Editorial decisions shall never be based solely on AI-generated outputs and remain the responsibility of qualified human editors.
AI Detection and Verification
RITHA Publishing House may employ AI-detection technologies, similarity-checking software, and other integrity-support tools as part of its editorial quality assurance procedures.
The results generated by such tools are considered indicators requiring human evaluation and do not constitute definitive evidence of misconduct. Where concerns arise, authors may be asked to provide additional documentation, including original files, datasets, source code, research records, or version histories.
Use of AI Detection Tools by the Publisher
RITHA Publishing House may use Artificial Intelligence detection technologies, similarity-checking software, plagiarism detection systems, and other research integrity tools as part of its editorial screening and quality assurance procedures.
These technologies may assist editors in evaluating manuscript originality, identifying unusual writing patterns, assessing disclosure compliance, supporting source verification, and detecting issues that may require additional editorial scrutiny.
The use of AI-detection technologies is intended solely as a screening and risk-assessment mechanism. Results generated by such systems do not constitute conclusive evidence of misconduct and shall not be used as the sole basis for editorial decisions.
All findings produced by AI-detection tools are subject to independent human evaluation by editors and, where appropriate, external experts. Authors may be invited to provide clarifications, supporting documentation, original files, datasets, source code, version histories, or other materials necessary to verify the authenticity and integrity of their work. By submitting a manuscript to a journal published by RITHA Publishing House, authors acknowledge that their submissions may be screened using research integrity, similarity-detection, and AI-detection technologies as part of the publisher's editorial and quality assurance procedures.
Research Integrity and Misconduct
The undisclosed or inappropriate use of AI technologies that compromises transparency, originality, authorship, data integrity, confidentiality, or ethical compliance may constitute research misconduct. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- - submission of undisclosed AI-generated manuscripts;
- - fabrication or falsification of data using AI tools;
- - generation of fictitious references or citations;
- - manipulation of images, figures, or research outputs;
- - unauthorised disclosure of confidential materials to AI systems;
- - misrepresentation of AI-generated content as original scholarly work.
Allegations involving the misuse of AI technologies will be investigated in accordance with the Publication Ethics and Research Misconduct policies of the relevant journal and the principles established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Policy Review
As AI technologies continue to evolve, RITHA Publishing House reserves the right to revise and update this policy periodically.
Questions regarding the interpretation or application of this policy may be directed to the Editorial Office (journals@ritha.eu) or to RITHA Publishing House (office@ritha.eu).
The most recent version of this policy shall apply to all new submissions and editorial activities.
Effective Date: 1 May 2026
Last Updated: 19 June 2026
Applies To: All Journals and Books published by RITHA Publishing House