Sustainable Biomaterials & Bioengineering (SBME) recognises the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning systems, and automated technologies — including generative AI and large language models (LLMs) — in scientific research, scholarly communication, biomaterials discovery, computational modelling, and manuscript preparation.
The journal supports the responsible, transparent, and ethically compliant use of such technologies in accordance with the principles and recommendations established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA).
1. Use of Artificial Intelligence by Authors
Disclosure Requirements
Authors must clearly disclose the use of generative AI or automated tools where such technologies have contributed substantively to the preparation of the manuscript beyond basic spelling correction, grammar refinement, formatting assistance, or language editing.
Disclosures should specify:
- The name of the AI tool or platform used
- The purpose of its use
- The extent to which it contributed to the manuscript preparation or analysis
Appropriate disclosures should be included within the manuscript, typically in the Methods, Acknowledgements, or a dedicated disclosure section where relevant.
Author Responsibility and Accountability
Authors retain full responsibility for:
- The accuracy, validity, and originality of all submitted content
- Verification of AI-generated outputs, analyses, references, and interpretations
- Ensuring compliance with ethical, scientific, and scholarly publishing standards
- Preventing the inclusion of fabricated, misleading, or inaccurate information generated by AI systems
The use of AI tools does not replace, reduce, or transfer author accountability.
Authors remain fully responsible for the integrity and scientific reliability of their work regardless of any AI-assisted processes used during manuscript preparation.
Authorship and Citation
Artificial intelligence systems, generative tools, chatbots, or automated software cannot be listed as authors or co-authors, as authorship requires intellectual accountability, ethical responsibility, and the ability to approve and take responsibility for the published work.
AI-generated outputs should not be cited as primary scholarly sources.
2. Use of Artificial Intelligence by Peer Reviewers and Editors
Editors and peer reviewers are expected to maintain strict confidentiality, independence, objectivity, and academic integrity throughout the editorial and peer review process.
Peer reviewers and editors should not use generative AI tools to generate, rewrite, or substantially influence editorial decisions, reviewer reports, or scientific evaluations, as such use may compromise:
- Confidentiality of unpublished research
- Scientific accuracy
- Reviewer independence
- Integrity of the peer review process
Limited use of AI-assisted tools for minor language refinement may be acceptable provided that:
- No confidential manuscript content is uploaded, disclosed, or exposed to external systems
- Editorial independence and reviewer judgement are preserved
- The integrity and confidentiality of the peer review process remain fully protected
Editors remain fully responsible for all editorial decisions and communications.
3. Use of Automated Tools by the Journal
SBME may utilise automated systems and editorial technologies to support publication management, quality control, and operational efficiency, including:
- Plagiarism and similarity detection software
- Manuscript workflow and editorial management systems
- Reference and metadata validation tools
- Automated reviewer recommendation systems
- Image integrity and figure analysis software
- AI-assisted screening for undeclared generative content
All automated processes are conducted under strict human oversight.
Editorial staff independently verify outputs generated by automated systems before any editorial or publication decisions are made. Automated tools are used solely to support — not replace — editorial evaluation and scientific judgement.
The journal ensures that all technologies implemented within editorial workflows are assessed for reliability, ethical suitability, and alignment with best practices in scholarly publishing.
4. Transparency and Disclosure
SBME promotes full transparency regarding the use of artificial intelligence and automated systems in research, manuscript preparation, peer review, and editorial processes.
The journal reserves the right to:
- Request additional clarification regarding AI use
- Seek revisions to disclosures
- Request supporting documentation where appropriate
- Conduct further editorial review where concerns arise regarding undisclosed or inappropriate AI usage
Failure to disclose substantial AI involvement may constitute a breach of publication ethics.
5. Policy Compliance and Ethical Oversight
Concerns regarding inappropriate, misleading, unethical, or undisclosed use of artificial intelligence or automated technologies will be handled in accordance with the journal’s ethical policies and internationally recognised publishing standards.
Where necessary, the journal may:
- Reject manuscripts
- Suspend editorial consideration
- Request corrections or clarifications
- Issue post-publication corrections or retractions
- Notify relevant institutions or organisations in cases of suspected misconduct
SBME remains committed to ensuring that the integration of artificial intelligence within scholarly communication supports scientific integrity, transparency, reproducibility, and responsible innovation in academic publishing.