Conflict of interest policy

The International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Engineering and Transformation (IJAIET) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and objectivity in academic publishing. To uphold these standards, all participants in the publication process—including authors, reviewers, and editors—are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest that could influence the content, evaluation, or outcome of a manuscript.

For Authors
Authors must disclose any financial, personal, or professional affiliations that could compromise, or appear to compromise, the objectivity or integrity of their research. Conflicts of interest may include, but are not limited to:

1. Financial Interests: Funding, grants, consultancy fees, employment, stock ownership, royalties, or patents that are directly or indirectly related to the research, particularly in connection with AI tools, products, platforms, or commercial applications.
2. Personal Relationships: Relationships that might influence the interpretation, analysis, or reporting of research findings.
3. Professional Affiliations: Memberships on boards, advisory roles, or consultancy ties with organizations such as AI companies, startups, government agencies, or industry groups that may have a stake in the results.

All relevant conflicts of interest must be disclosed at the time of manuscript submission. A clear statement should be included in the manuscript. If no conflicts exist, authors should state:
"The authors declare no conflict of interest."

For Reviewers
Reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest that could impair their ability to provide an unbiased and fair review. These may include:

1. Personal or Professional Relationships: With any of the authors that could influence judgment.
2. Financial Interests or Competitor Status: Ties to companies, institutions, or products under evaluation, or competitive research activities.
3. Institutional Affiliations: That overlap with those of the authors or the subject of the manuscript.

If a reviewer believes that they cannot provide an impartial review, they should decline the review and notify the editorial office immediately.

For Editors
Editors who are involved in the editorial decision-making process must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest. If an editor has a financial, academic, or personal relationship with any author or institution connected to a submission—including involvement in the development or application of the specific AI methods or systems under discussion—they must recuse themselves from handling the manuscript. An alternative, impartial editor will be assigned.

Managing Conflicts of Interest
When a potential conflict of interest is identified, IJAIET follows a clear protocol:

1. Transparency: Any disclosed conflict will be clearly stated in the published article to ensure transparency for readers.
2. Editorial Reassignment: Manuscripts will be reassigned when necessary to avoid bias in peer review or editorial judgment.
3. Review and Oversight: The editorial board will review disclosed or suspected conflicts and determine appropriate actions to uphold ethical standards.

Failure to disclose a known conflict of interest may lead to the rejection of the manuscript or, in cases of post-publication discovery, retraction of the article.

By promoting full disclosure and transparency, the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Engineering and Transformation ensures the credibility and ethical integrity of all published research, supporting responsible innovation in the field of artificial intelligence and its transformative impact on society.