Synthesis and Sintering is committed to maintaining transparency, research integrity, originality, and accountability in scholarly publishing. The journal recognizes that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted technologies can support manuscript preparation and scientific communication when used responsibly and under appropriate human supervision. This policy establishes the principles governing their use in submitted manuscripts and associated visual materials.

1. Use of AI in Manuscript Preparation

Authors may use generative AI and AI-assisted technologies to support manuscript preparation, including language editing, improving readability and clarity, organizing content, summarizing author-provided material, and assisting with the presentation of research findings.

Such tools must not replace the authors’ intellectual contributions, critical thinking, scientific judgment, or responsibility for developing and interpreting the research. Scientific arguments, interpretations, conclusions, and recommendations must reflect the authors’ own scholarly judgment and be supported by appropriate evidence.

Authors must carefully review, verify, and, where necessary, revise all AI-generated or AI-assisted content to identify inaccuracies, omissions, bias, fabricated references, or misleading statements. AI-generated text, references, or claims must not be accepted without independent verification.

Routine spelling, grammar, and punctuation checks do not require a separate AI-use declaration. Any substantive use of generative AI in preparing manuscript content must be disclosed in accordance with Section 2.

2. Disclosure of AI Use

Authors must transparently disclose any substantive use of generative AI or AI-assisted technologies in manuscript preparation. The declaration should identify the tool or service used, its purpose, and the nature of its contribution.

Where AI is used to generate or substantially modify figures, schematic illustrations, graphical abstracts, or other visual materials, its use must also be disclosed in the relevant figure caption or legend, as appropriate.

Authors should include an AI-use declaration in the manuscript, preferably in a dedicated section entitled “Declaration of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies.” If AI has been used solely to generate or modify a visual item, the declaration may be limited to that use, provided the relevant figure caption or legend contains sufficient information.

The following statement may be adapted as appropriate:

“During the preparation of this manuscript, the authors used [name of AI tool or service, including the model or version where available] for [specific purpose]. The authors subsequently reviewed and verified the generated content, made the necessary revisions, and take full responsibility for the accuracy, integrity, originality, and final content of the manuscript.”

Failure to disclose relevant AI use may result in a request for clarification, revision, or other editorial action in accordance with the journal’s policies.

3. Use of AI for Schematic Illustrations and Graphical Abstracts

Synthesis and Sintering permits the use of generative AI and AI-assisted technologies to create schematic illustrations, conceptual diagrams, graphical abstracts, process-flow diagrams, experimental workflow illustrations, and other explanatory scientific visuals, subject to the conditions outlined below.

Such use is permitted only when:

• Scientific accuracy is verified: Authors must carefully examine the generated visuals to ensure that they correctly represent the scientific concepts, mechanisms, processes, materials, experimental arrangements, and interpretations presented in the manuscript. Particular attention must be paid to chemical formulae, material structures, labels, dimensions, symbols, and other technically significant details.

• Copyright and intellectual property rights are respected: Authors must ensure that the generated visuals do not unlawfully reproduce, imitate, or incorporate copyrighted images, protected artwork, third-party materials, trademarks, or other protected intellectual property. Any required permissions, licences, and attributions must be obtained or provided before submission. Authors must also check the applicable terms of the AI tool concerning the use and publication of generated outputs.

• AI use is disclosed: Authors must identify the AI tool or service used and briefly explain its contribution in the relevant figure caption or graphical abstract legend. The general AI-use declaration must also address this use, unless the journal’s submission instructions permit a single sufficiently detailed declaration.

• The visual reflects the authors’ scientific intent: AI may assist with visual communication but must not introduce unsupported scientific claims, misleading representations, fabricated evidence, or conclusions that are not justified by the research.

• The final material meets publication standards: Authors must ensure that the submitted visual is legible, technically appropriate, original in its presentation, and suitable for scholarly publication.

The use of AI for graphical abstracts is permitted under this policy, provided that the graphical abstract accurately summarizes the work and satisfies all the requirements above. Authors are encouraged to inspect and, where necessary, correct or reconstruct AI-generated elements using appropriate scientific illustration or graphic-design software.

The journal may request information about the AI tool, the generation or editing process, relevant source materials, or other documentation when necessary for editorial assessment.

4. Research Figures, Experimental Images, and Data Integrity

The use of AI must not compromise the authenticity, accuracy, or integrity of scientific evidence.

Authors must not use generative AI to fabricate, invent, or deceptively alter experimental results, research data, or images presented as genuine observations. This prohibition includes generating or modifying microscopy images, electron micrographs, spectra, diffraction patterns, photographs of experimental samples, fracture surfaces, microstructures, or other images representing actual research observations in ways that misrepresent the underlying evidence.

AI-generated illustrative images must never be presented as actual experimental observations or as direct evidence obtained from the authors’ research.

AI-assisted image analysis, image processing, data visualization, or other AI-based research methods may be used when scientifically appropriate, provided that the methods are described transparently and reproducibly in the manuscript. The description should include the tool or model, version where available, purpose, relevant processing steps, and validation procedures. Any modifications to research images must comply with accepted scientific image-integrity standards.

Data visualizations generated with AI assistance must be derived faithfully from the underlying data and must not misrepresent, omit, or fabricate results.

The journal reserves the right to request original, unprocessed images, underlying data, or additional methodological information when concerns arise regarding the authenticity or integrity of submitted material.

5. Authorship and Author Responsibility

Generative AI systems and AI-assisted technologies cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of submissions to Synthesis and Sintering. Authorship carries responsibilities, including accountability for the work, approval of the final manuscript, and the ability to address questions concerning its accuracy and integrity, which cannot be assigned to an AI system.

The authors remain fully and collectively responsible for all material submitted for publication, including text, figures, schematic illustrations, graphical abstracts, data visualizations, references, and other AI-assisted content.

The use of AI does not transfer, reduce, or otherwise diminish the authors’ responsibility for scientific accuracy, originality, research integrity, copyright compliance, permissions, attribution, or adherence to publication ethics. Disclosure of AI use does not exempt authors from these obligations.

6. Confidentiality, Privacy, and Intellectual Property

Authors should exercise appropriate caution when using external AI services, particularly when handling unpublished research, confidential information, personal data, proprietary material, or content subject to contractual or intellectual property restrictions.

Before uploading material to an AI tool, authors must assess the tool’s terms of service, data-retention practices, privacy protections, and provisions concerning the use of submitted content for model training or other purposes. Authors must ensure that such use does not compromise confidentiality, violate applicable laws or agreements, or jeopardize publication rights.

7. Editorial Assessment and Policy Compliance

The editorial team may assess the use of AI in submitted manuscripts and visual materials to ensure compliance with this policy and the journal’s broader publication ethics requirements. Authors may be asked to provide clarification, supporting documentation, original source materials, or evidence of verification.

Where AI use raises concerns regarding scientific accuracy, originality, transparency, copyright, confidentiality, or research integrity, the journal may request corrections or revisions, reject the submission, or take further action consistent with its publication ethics policies.

Synthesis and Sintering will continue to review and update this policy as AI technologies, scientific publishing practices, and relevant ethical and legal standards evolve. The journal’s overarching principle is that AI may support scientific communication, but human authors must retain control, exercise sound scientific judgment, and accept full responsibility for everything submitted and published in their names.