People, Place and Policy (PPP) recognises that artificial intelligence (AI) tools can provide valuable support during the research and writing process when used responsibly and transparently. However, AI and AI-assisted technologies must not be used as a substitute for human judgement, critical thinking, scholarly expertise, or author responsibility.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and content of their work. The use of AI does not diminish an author’s responsibility for ensuring that submitted research meets the journal’s standards of academic quality and publication ethics.

Understanding the different tools

• Assistive AI: These help refine and improve work created by a human author without generating substantial new content. Examples include spelling and grammar checkers, language-editing tools, predictive text suggestions, and software designed to improve clarity, readability, or structure.
• Generative AI: These tools create new content in response to user prompts. This may include text, images, code, data analysis, summaries, or other outputs. Examples include ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Gemini, and DALL·E.

Some platforms contain both assistive and generative features. Authors, reviewers, and editors are responsible for understanding which features they are using and for ensuring compliance with this policy.

For Authors

• Assistive AI: AI tools used solely to improve language, grammar, spelling, readability, or structure do not require detailed disclosure. However, all submissions must include an AI Statement (see below), regardless of whether AI has been used.
• Generative AI:
  • Generative AI must not be used to write an article that is then presented as the author’s original work.
  • Where Generative AI has been used, authors must carefully review, verify, and take full responsibility for all content included in the manuscript.
  • The use of Generative AI does not transfer responsibility for the work from the author to the AI tool.
• Images and Figures:
  • The creation, generation, enhancement, or manipulation of images using Generative AI is not permitted.
  • Routine adjustments such as cropping, brightness, contrast, colour correction, or image compression are permitted provided they do not alter, misrepresent, or obscure the original information being presented.
• Authorship:
  • AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors of a manuscript, as they cannot take responsibility for the content, approve submissions, or meet accepted criteria for authorship.

Disclosure Requirements

Mandatory AI Statement

All submissions must include an AI Statement at the point of submission, regardless of whether Generative AI has been used or not. The AI Statement should be included on the manuscript cover sheet.

Submissions that do not include an AI Statement may be returned to authors and will not be accepted for publication until a statement has been provided.

Where No Generative AI has been used

Authors should include the following statement:

AI Statement: No generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools were used in the preparation of this manuscript.

Where Generative AI has been used

Authors should include a statement describing:

• the AI tool(s) used;
• the purpose for which the tool was used;
• the extent of its use; and
• any steps taken to review and verify AI-generated outputs.

For example:

AI Statement: ChatGPT was used to assist with generating a preliminary summary of relevant literature during manuscript preparation. The authors independently reviewed all outputs, verified all sources and claims, and accept full responsibility for the final content of the manuscript.

Use of AI in Research Methods

Where AI forms part of the research methodology, analysis, data processing, or research design, this should be described in sufficient detail within the Methods section of the manuscript, in addition to any disclosure statement.

For Reviewers

• Assistive AI: Assistive AI tools may be used to improve the clarity, grammar, or readability of review reports. Reviewers remain fully responsible for the content, accuracy, and recommendations contained within their reviews.
• Generative AI:
• Reviewers must treat submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.
• Reviewers must not upload manuscripts, extracts of manuscripts, figures, tables, data, or review reports to Generative AI tools. Doing so may compromise confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and author privacy.

If reviewers suspect inappropriate or undisclosed use of Generative AI within a submission, they should notify the Editors.

For Editors

• Assistive AI: Editors may use Assistive AI tools to improve the clarity, grammar, or readability of correspondence with authors and reviewers. Editors remain fully responsible for all editorial communications and decisions.
• Generative AI:
• Editors must treat submitted manuscripts as confidential documents.
• Editors must not upload manuscripts, figures, data, reviewer reports, or other confidential material to Generative AI tools.

Where concerns arise regarding the inappropriate or undisclosed use of AI, Editors may request additional information from authors, investigate the matter in accordance with the journal’s policies, and suspend or withdraw a submission from consideration where necessary.