Artificial Intelligence Policy

Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies (MJES) recognises that generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools may support certain aspects of research and academic writing. However, such tools must be used responsibly, transparently and in accordance with the journal’s publication ethics, confidentiality requirements and standards of research integrity.

Authors

Authors who use generative AI tools in preparing a manuscript must clearly disclose their use. The disclosure statement must specify:

• the full name of the AI tool and, where applicable, its version;
• how the tool was used; and
• the purpose of its use.

The disclosure statement should be included in the Methods or Acknowledgements section, as appropriate.

Generative AI tools must not be listed as authors or co-authors because they cannot take responsibility for the content of a manuscript, approve its final version, or be accountable for its accuracy and integrity.

Authors remain fully responsible for all content generated, revised or otherwise assisted by AI, including its accuracy, originality, citations and compliance with ethical and legal requirements. Authors must carefully review and verify all AI-assisted content before submission.

Generative AI must not be used to fabricate, falsify, manipulate or misrepresent data, results, references, images or other research materials.

Failure to disclose the use of generative AI where disclosure is required may be treated as a breach of publication ethics. MJES retains full editorial discretion in determining whether the use of generative AI is appropriate and whether a manuscript meets the journal’s standards for publication.

Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for safeguarding the quality, integrity and confidentiality of submitted manuscripts and the peer-review process.

The Editor-in-Chief must not upload unpublished manuscripts, supplementary materials, peer-review reports, images, data or any other confidential information relating to a submission to publicly available generative AI tools. Such use may compromise confidentiality, intellectual property rights, data protection and the integrity of the editorial process.

Generative AI may be used only for appropriate administrative or language-support purposes that do not involve the disclosure of confidential manuscript content or the delegation of editorial judgement.

The Editor-in-Chief remains fully responsible for all editorial assessments, communications and decisions. Generative AI must not replace independent editorial judgement or decision-making.

Peer Reviewers

Peer reviewers must maintain the strict confidentiality of all manuscripts and related materials received for review.

Reviewers must not upload unpublished manuscripts, supplementary materials, data, images or any associated confidential information to generative AI tools. They must not use generative AI to analyse, evaluate or summarise a submitted manuscript, or to generate the substantive content of a peer-review report.

Generative AI may be used only to improve the language, grammar or readability of a review that has already been independently prepared by the reviewer, provided that no confidential manuscript content or identifiable information from the submission is entered into the tool.

Reviewers remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity and recommendations contained in their reports. The use of generative AI must not replace the reviewer’s expert assessment and independent scholarly judgement.