Iranian Journal of Medical Microbiology

Guidelines and Recommendations for Authors Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Manuscript Preparation

The authors must disclose their use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)–assisted technologies, such as Large Language Models [LLMs], chatbots, or image creators, when submitting their manuscript. Authors need to explain how they employed AI both in the cover letter and in relevant sections in methods and at the end of the manuscript before references, under the subtitle “Declaration of AI tools usage”.

AI tools should be used as supportive instruments rather than as substitutes for critical thinking and original contributions. Authors must ensure that:

1. AI-generated content is fact-checked and validated for accuracy.
2. The manuscript reflects the authors’ intellectual effort, interpretation, and conclusions.
3. AI is not used to fabricate data, falsify results, or plagiarize existing works.

According to the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), AI-generated outputs cannot be credited as authors or co-authors since they lack accountability for the accuracy and reliability of the work. It is the authors' responsibility to ensure that their submissions are free from mistakes, biases, and plagiarism while providing proper citations for all referenced material.
"Artificial Intelligence (AI)–Assisted Technology:
At submission, the journal should require authors to disclose whether they used artificial intelligence (AI)– assisted technologies (such as Large Language Models [LLMs], chatbots, or image creators) in the production of submitted work. Authors who use such technology should describe, in both the cover letter and the submitted work, how they used it. Chatbots (such as ChatGPT) should not be listed as authors because they cannot be responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and originality of the work, and these responsibilities are required for authorship. Therefore, humans are responsible for any submitted material that includes the use of AI-assisted technologies. Authors should carefully review and edit the result because AI can generate authoritative-sounding output that can be incorrect, incomplete, or biased. Authors should not list AI and AIassisted technologies as an author or co-author, nor cite AI as an author. Authors should be able to assert that there is no plagiarism in their paper, including in text and images produced by the AI. Humans must ensure there is appropriate attribution of all quoted material, including full citations."

Link: https://www.icmje.org/news-and-editorials/icmje-recommendations_annotated_jan24.pdf

Caution: Misuse of AI, such as generating false citations or unverified information, constitutes academic misconduct and will lead to rejection/retraction of the manuscript.