AI Policy for Authors

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools in Manuscript Preparation

Authors who use Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools or related technologies at any stage of manuscript preparation must clearly disclose such use upon submission. The disclosure should appear in the Materials and Methods section or the Acknowledgment/Supplementary Information section and must include:

  • The name of the AI tool (including the model name or version),
  • The software version and date of use, and
  • A brief description of the prompt, query, or process used to generate any content.

Acceptable Use of AI

AI tools may be used solely for language-related assistance, such as improving readability, grammar, clarity, or translation quality. The use of AI tools to generate research content, produce data, conduct analysis, or interpret findings is strictly prohibited.

Authors are fully responsible for reviewing, verifying, and editing all AI-assisted outputs to ensure their accuracy, reliability, and compliance with the journal’s ethical standards.

Author Responsibility

The final responsibility for the originality, validity, and integrity of the manuscript lies entirely with the human authors. AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors, as authorship requires human contribution, accountability, approval of the final version, and adherence to ethical and professional standards — all of which AI systems cannot fulfill.

Use of AI in Figures and Images

AI-generated or AI-altered figures, images, or illustrations are not permitted, except when their use is an essential part of the research methodology. In such cases, authors must clearly specify in the Methods section:

  • The AI tool used,
  • The version, and
  • The purpose of its use.

This restriction does not apply to the use of AI-assisted tools for creating graphs, charts, or visualizations derived from the authors’ own data. Such tools are considered design aids, similar to conventional software (e.g., Excel, MATLAB) provided the resulting visuals accurately represent the original data.

Consequences of Non-Disclosure

Failure to disclose the use of AI tools during manuscript preparation will be regarded as a breach of publication ethics. Such violations may result in manuscript rejection, retraction, or other disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the BTTN Journal Editorial Board.

The BTTN Journal reserves the right to screen submissions for AI-generated content using trusted and validated detection tools to ensure compliance with ethical publishing practices.