GENERATIVE AI
GREAT's Guidelines on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Global Research in Economics and Advanced Theory (GREAT)
GREAT recognizes that generative AI and AI-assisted tools are increasingly used in academic work. This policy sets out how such tools may and may not be used by authors, reviewers, and editors involved with the journal, in order to protect originality, accountability, and confidentiality throughout the publication process.
For Authors
Use of AI in the writing process
Authors may use generative AI or AI-assisted tools (e.g., for grammar correction, language polishing, or improving readability) at the drafting stage prior to submission. These tools must not be used to generate substantive content, analysis, interpretation of results, or conclusions — that intellectual work must originate from the authors themselves.
AI tools can produce text that sounds convincing but is inaccurate, biased, or fabricated. Authors remain fully responsible for verifying the accuracy of every statement in the manuscript, regardless of whether AI assistance was used at any stage.
Disclosure is mandatory. Any use of generative AI or AI-assisted technology in preparing the manuscript must be disclosed in the Methods or Acknowledgments section, stating:
- The name and version of the tool used
- The specific purpose for which it was used (e.g., "language editing," "reference formatting")
- Confirmation that the output was reviewed and verified by the author(s)
AI tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors. Authorship requires the capacity to take responsibility for the work, approve the final manuscript, and be accountable for its integrity — responsibilities that only human contributors can hold. Authors must also consult GREAT's Ethics and Malpractice policy to ensure the submission is original and does not infringe the rights of others.
Use of AI in figures, images, and artwork
Generative AI must not be used to create or alter figures, photographs, or data images within a submitted manuscript. Adjustments limited to brightness, contrast, or color balance are acceptable only if they do not obscure, remove, or misrepresent any underlying data. Submissions may be subject to image-integrity checks at the editors' discretion.
The only exception applies where AI-based methods are an integral part of the research methodology itself (for example, AI-assisted image analysis in applied research). In such cases, the tool's name, version, developer, and exact role in generating or processing the image must be fully and reproducibly described in the Methods section. Editors may request original, pre-processed source images for verification.
Generative AI must not be used to produce graphical abstracts or illustrative artwork for a submission without prior written approval from the Editor-in-Chief, and only where the author can demonstrate that all necessary rights and attributions are in order.
For Reviewers
Manuscripts under review are confidential documents. Reviewers must not upload a submitted manuscript, or any part of it, to a generative AI tool — including for the limited purpose of improving the language of their own review comments. Doing so risks exposing unpublished work and violating the confidentiality owed to authors, and may also raise data-privacy concerns where personal information is involved.
Peer review requires human judgment, domain expertise, and critical evaluation that current AI tools cannot reliably replicate. Reviewers must not use generative AI to draft substantive assessments of a manuscript's validity, originality, or contribution. The scientific judgment expressed in a review report must be the reviewer's own.
Reviewers are welcome to use AI-assisted productivity tools (e.g., reference checking, scheduling) that do not involve sharing manuscript content with third-party systems.
For Editors
Submitted manuscripts, reviewer comments, and decision correspondence are confidential. Editors must not upload any part of a manuscript, review report, or decision letter to a generative AI tool, even for minor language editing, as this could expose confidential material belonging to authors or reviewers.
Editorial judgment — assessing a manuscript's suitability, weighing reviewer feedback, and making the final publication decision — is a human responsibility that cannot be delegated to AI. Generative AI must not be used to draft or influence editorial decisions. The Editor-in-Chief and editorial board remain fully accountable for every decision made in the review process, and for communicating that decision to authors.
Policy Review
This policy will be reviewed periodically by the editorial board to reflect developments in generative AI technology and evolving international publishing standards (including guidance from COPE and comparable bodies). Authors, reviewers, and editors are encouraged to raise questions about this policy by contacting the editorial office at Publisher@greet-research.org.
Last updated: 18 July 2026
