The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs) presents new opportunities and challenges in scholarly writing. This policy establishes AAB's position on the use of AI tools in the preparation of manuscripts submitted for publication.

AI and Authorship

AI tools and LLMs (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, DeepSeek) do not qualify for authorship. Authorship requires accountability and the ability to approve the final manuscript and manage revisions—capabilities that AI tools currently lack. Therefore, AI must not be listed as an author or co-author on any manuscript submitted to AAB.

Transparency and Disclosure

Authors who use AI tools in manuscript preparation must provide full and transparent disclosure within the manuscript. This includes:

• A description of the AI tool used (including name and version).
• The purpose of use (e.g., language editing, data analysis, idea generation, formatting references).
• Placement of the disclosure in the Materials and Methods or Acknowledgements section.

Author Accountability

Authors are fully responsible for all manuscript content, including portions influenced by AI tools. This includes:

• Accuracy: Verifying all facts, data, and citations generated by AI.
• Originality: Ensuring the work does not infringe on copyright or intellectual property.
• Integrity: Adhering to ethical standards and journal policies. AI must not be used to facilitate plagiarism, data fabrication, or image manipulation.

Prohibited Uses

The use of AI to create fraudulent or entirely synthetic data, images, or patient records is strictly prohibited and constitutes scientific misconduct. See Ethical Guidelines > Data Integrity and Reproducibility.

The use of AI tools by reviewers to assess manuscripts is also prohibited, to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the peer review process.