Regulations on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) Technology

    Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) refers to models and related technologies capable of generating content such as text, images, audio, video, data, code, and patterns. GenAI is influencing and transforming academic research and paper writing. To maintain scientific integrity, prevent academic misconduct, and ensure the authenticity, accuracy, and transparency of the research process and outcomes, Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica establishes the following guidelines regarding the use of GenAI technology in the writing and reviewing of scientific papers, based on the recommendations of international editorial committees and relevant guidelines.

I. Guidelines for Authors Using GenAI Technology During Paper Writing
    1. GenAI cannot be listed as an author. Since GenAI lacks the attributes of a human author and cannot assume the responsibilities of an author, tools or teams related to GenAI cannot be credited as authors of a paper.
    2. GenAI cannot be used to write the entire paper or essential parts of it, including sections such as research methods, results, and analysis of results. All content requiring scientific or intellectual contribution must be completed by the authors themselves.
    3. GenAI cannot be used to generate or manipulate original research data, images, graphs, or experimental audiovisual materials. Research data, processes, and results must remain intact and authentic.
    4. Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and scientific validity of the content, including parts supported by GenAI. If GenAI is used during research or paper preparation, authors must specify this in the "Materials and Methods" (or similar) section. A clear statement detailing the use of GenAI must be included before the references.
        o Example: Declaration of GenAI Use: In preparing this paper, the authors used [specific GenAI tool/service name] for [purpose of use: e.g., literature review, data analysis, figure creation]. After using the tool/service, the authors reviewed and edited the content as needed and take full responsibility for the content of the publication.
    5. Unverified references generated by GenAI must not be directly used. If citing content marked as AI-generated by other authors, it should not be considered as original literature. If necessary, its use must be clearly indicated.
    6. Authors must be willing to provide supplementary materials (texts, graphs, code, etc.) created with the assistance of GenAI for archiving and review by editors and reviewers to evaluate the originality of the work.
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II. Guidelines for the Use of GenAI Technology During the Review and Processing of Manuscripts
    1. Manuscript review must be done by humans, not GenAI. Reviewers bear responsibility for their evaluation. To avoid risks such as copyright infringement, privacy violations, or breaches of confidentiality, uploading manuscripts and supplementary materials to public GenAI platforms is prohibited.
    2. If a reviewer suspects that the author has violated the guidelines on the use of GenAI, they should report this to the editorial office, providing reasons in the review comments.
    3. Editors should not use publicly available GenAI platforms to conduct preliminary reviews of manuscripts.
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III. Consequences of Violating GenAI Guidelines in Writing and Reviewing Papers
    1. To prevent misuse of GenAI, Acta Physico-Chimica Sinica will employ technical measures for early-stage prevention. If the editorial board determines that an author has violated GenAI usage guidelines, the manuscript will be immediately rejected or retracted.
    2. For serious violations, the author will be placed on an academic misconduct list and banned from submitting to the journal for two years. If the author is also a reviewer for the journal, they will be prohibited from participating in the peer review process.

    3. Reviewers who violate these guidelines, leading to information leakage or infringement, will be banned from participating in the review process and may be held accountable.

    Scientific research must adhere to principles of scientific rigor, standardization, originality, and innovation. Researchers are urged to uphold academic ethics and rationally and responsibly use digital tools in academic research and the review process. These guidelines are effective immediately and will be updated as GenAI technology evolves.