1. Guidelines for Authors

1. Scope of Policy: This policy governs AI usage during manuscript drafting and preparation. It does not limit the application of AI tools in formal research methodologies or data/music analysis, provided these are transparently documented as part of the study.
2. Application in Manuscript Preparation: Authors may utilize AI tools to enhance language clarity, structural organization, and readability. However, strict human oversight is mandatory. Authors must critically review, edit, and validate all AI-generated content to prevent inaccuracies and bias. Crucially, authors must manually verify all citations and references, given AI's tendency to hallucinate sources. The final submission must represent the authors' original intellectual contribution.
3. Disclosure Obligations: Any utilization of generative AI during manuscript writing must be explicitly declared before the reference section under the heading: "Declaration of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Writing Process." The declaration must specify the tool used, its purpose, and confirm human oversight. Non-generative tools used strictly for basic grammar or spelling corrections do not require disclosure.
   Example format: "During the preparation of this manuscript, the author(s) utilized [TOOL NAME] to [PURPOSE]. The author(s) subsequently reviewed and refined the content, assuming full responsibility for the final publication."
4. Authorship Criteria: Artificial intelligence systems cannot be credited as authors, co-authors, or cited as primary sources. Authorship entails legal and ethical accountability, which necessitates human capability.
5. Visuals, Music, and Artwork: Employing generative AI to fabricate or manipulate figures, images, or musical notation is strictly prohibited, except for minor adjustments (e.g., brightness/contrast) that do not obscure original data. If AI-generated visuals or audio analyses are central to the study's subject matter, they are permissible provided the specific AI tool is detailed and authors explicitly assume responsibility for the material's integrity.

2. Guidelines for Reviewers

Peer review hinges on confidentiality, independent critical thinking, and expert judgment. Reviewers are strictly forbidden from uploading any portion of a submitted manuscript or their own review reports into generative AI platforms. Delegating evaluation tasks to AI compromises the authors' intellectual property, violates data privacy, and undermines the foundational integrity of the peer review process.

The assessment of scholarly work demands original human insight and ethical evaluation. Reviewers remain fully accountable for the quality and integrity of their assessments.

3. Guidelines for Editors

Editors must preserve the strict confidentiality of all submitted materials and related communications. Uploading manuscripts to AI systems, even for readability enhancements, is strictly prohibited.

Furthermore, editorial evaluations, decision-making, and correspondence necessitate nuanced human judgment and cannot be automated or drafted by generative AI. Editors bear ultimate accountability for all editorial decisions and communications within the journal.