Generative and AI-Assisted Technologies – Journal of Cutaneous Oncology

The Journal of Cutaneous Oncology (JoCO) recognizes that artificial intelligence–assisted technologies—including large language models, chatbots, coding assistants, image generators, and analytical tools—are increasingly used in research and scholarly communication. JoCO permits the responsible use of these technologies when their role is disclosed transparently, appropriate safeguards are maintained, and human authors retain full responsibility for the work.

Disclosure by Authors

Authors must disclose material use of generative or AI-assisted technologies in the preparation of a submitted manuscript or in the research it reports. The disclosure should identify the tool used and describe its purpose and scope with sufficient specificity for readers and reviewers to understand how it contributed to the work.

The disclosure should appear in the section most appropriate to the article type. For original research, use affecting study design, data collection, analysis, coding, or figure preparation should ordinarily be described in the Materials and Methods section. Use related primarily to manuscript development may be reported in a dedicated Use of Artificial Intelligence statement, the Acknowledgments, or another appropriate section. Authors may also be asked to disclose AI use during submission or in the cover letter.

A disclosure should distinguish, as applicable, among uses such as:

language editing, translation, formatting, or organization;
drafting, summarization, synthesis, or restructuring of text;
exploration or evaluation of interpretations, arguments, or literature;
computer coding or statistical assistance;
data collection, transformation, simulation, or analysis; and
generation or alteration of images, figures, audio, video, or other content.

Routine spelling, grammar, or formatting functions that do not generate or materially alter scholarly content do not require a published disclosure unless requested by the editors.

Human Responsibility and Authorship

Artificial intelligence systems must not be listed as authors or coauthors. They cannot approve a manuscript, accept accountability for its contents, disclose conflicts of interest, or respond to questions regarding the integrity of the work.

Human authors remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, interpretation, and integrity of all submitted material, including AI-assisted text, code, analyses, images, figures, and references. Authors must review and revise AI-assisted output, verify factual statements and citations against the underlying sources, ensure appropriate attribution, obtain necessary permissions, and guard against plagiarism, fabrication, bias, and omission of relevant evidence.

AI-generated output should not be cited as the primary evidentiary source for a scientific or clinical claim when the underlying source can be identified.

Confidentiality, Privacy, and Protected Information

Authors must not enter identifiable patient information, confidential research data, unpublished third-party material, copyrighted content, privileged communications, or other protected information into an AI system unless they are authorized to do so and the system provides appropriate privacy, security, and data-use protections.

Any use of AI involving patient data, research records, or regulated information must comply with applicable institutional policies, ethical approvals, consent requirements, and law.

Images, Figures, and Data

Authors must disclose the use of AI to generate, modify, enhance, or reconstruct images, figures, or data. Such use must not obscure, add, remove, or misrepresent scientifically meaningful information.

Editors may request original files, prompts, software and model information, version numbers, dates of use, code, or other documentation necessary to evaluate the integrity and reproducibility of AI-assisted content.

Peer Review and Editorial Use

Submitted manuscripts and peer-review materials are confidential. Reviewers and editors must not upload manuscripts, figures, supplementary files, reviews, or editorial correspondence into external AI systems unless such use is expressly permitted by the journal and confidentiality and data protection are assured.

Any permitted AI assistance in peer review or editorial evaluation must be disclosed to the journal. Reviewers and editors remain responsible for the accuracy, fairness, confidentiality, and integrity of their assessments and decisions.

When JoCO uses AI-assisted technologies materially in copyediting, production, summaries, illustrations, educational materials, or other published content, the journal will disclose that use when appropriate.

Editorial Review and Corrective Action

Editors may request additional information regarding AI use when necessary to evaluate a submission. Failure to disclose material AI use, misrepresentation of its role, breach of confidentiality, fabrication, inappropriate image manipulation, or reliance on unverifiable AI-generated content may result in rejection, correction, retraction, or other action consistent with the journal’s publication-ethics procedures.

Because these technologies and professional standards continue to evolve, JoCO will review and update this policy periodically.

Suggested Disclosure Format

A disclosure should describe the actual role of the tool rather than rely on a generic statement.

Example

The author used OpenAI’s ChatGPT during development of this Editorial to assist with synthesizing complex regulatory and scientific materials, exploring competing interpretations of the evidence, examining the strengths and limitations of competing arguments, organizing the analysis, and refining language. The author reviewed and revised all AI-assisted content, returned to the underlying sources as needed, verified factual claims and citations, and accepts responsibility for the final manuscript.

AI Use in Developing This Policy

JoCO used a generative AI language model to assist with revising the organization, scope, and wording of this policy. Human editors reviewed, revised, and approved the final text and remain responsible for its content.