Introduction

Generative and AI-assisted technologies, including large language models (LLMs), multimodal systems, and AI analytical tools, are evolving rapidly and increasingly being applied across academic, legal, and professional content platforms.

Vintage Legal recognises the potential of these tools to enhance efficiency, accessibility, and innovation in legal research, writing, and content dissemination. When used responsibly, AI tools may support idea generation, preliminary research, language refinement, content organisation, and legal analysis preparation, particularly for contributors operating across multidisciplinary or non-native language contexts.

At the same time, Vintage Legal acknowledges that AI technologies present ethical, academic, and legal risks. This statement provides guidance for authors, contributors, interns, editors, and reviewers regarding the responsible and transparent use of AI tools in content submitted to or published by Vintage Legal. These guidelines may be updated periodically in response to technological, legal, or regulatory developments.

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Scope of AI Tools

AI tools include systems capable of generating text, images, audio, video, code, or synthetic data. Examples include ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Copilot, Jasper AI, DALL·E, Midjourney, Runway, and similar platforms. The principles outlined in this statement apply regardless of the specific AI technology used.

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Risks Associated with AI

Vintage Legal identifies several risks associated with AI-generated content:

• Inaccuracy and Bias: AI-generated outputs are probabilistic rather than factual and may contain errors, omissions, hallucinations, or inherent bias that require careful human verification.

• Lack of Attribution: AI tools may fail to provide precise citations or proper attribution, which conflicts with established academic and legal publishing standards.

• Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Risks: Many AI tools operate on third-party platforms that may not adequately safeguard confidential information, unpublished material, or proprietary content.

• Unintended Data Use: Inputs or outputs may be retained or reused by AI providers, potentially affecting authors’, interns’, and publishers’ rights.

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Responsibilities of Authors and Contributors

Authors and contributors remain fully responsible for the originality, accuracy, validity, and integrity of all content submitted to or published by Vintage Legal. Any use of AI tools must comply with Vintage Legal’s editorial policies, publication ethics, and applicable legal standards.

All AI-assisted outputs must be carefully reviewed, verified, and substantively edited to ensure that the final work reflects independent human analysis, legal reasoning, and intellectual contribution.

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Permissible Uses of AI

Subject to editorial discretion, Vintage Legal permits limited and responsible use of AI tools for the following purposes:

1. Idea generation and conceptual exploration

2. Language and grammatical refinement

3. Literature organisation or classification

4. Preliminary research support using publicly available sources

5. Technical or coding assistance where relevant

6. Such use must remain auxiliary and must not replace core legal research, interpretation, analysis, or writing

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Prohibited Use of AI

The following uses of AI tools are strictly prohibited:

1. Generation of complete articles, research papers, legal analyses, or opinion pieces without substantial human authorship

2. Use of AI to formulate legal conclusions, arguments, or interpretations without independent reasoning

3. Fabrication or automated generation of citations, case laws, statutes, data, or references

4. Paraphrasing or rewriting content to evade plagiarism detection

5. Submission of AI-generated content that substitutes essential author responsibilities

Content found to violate these standards may be rejected, removed, or subjected to further editorial or disciplinary action.

 

Authorship and Attribution

AI tools must not be listed as authors, co-authors, or contributors. Authorship requires accountability, intellectual responsibility, consent to publication, and compliance with licensing and ethical obligations—responsibilities that can only be assumed by human authors.

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Disclosure and Transparency

Where AI tools are used beyond basic language or formatting assistance, authors must provide a clear disclosure specifying:

• The full name of the AI tool used (including version, where applicable)

• The purpose for which the tool was used

• The extent of reliance on the tool

For articles, disclosures should be included in the acknowledgements or methodology section, as appropriate. For long-form or special publications, disclosure must be made at the earliest possible stage and included in the introductory sections if approved.

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Images, Figures, and Data

Vintage Legal does not permit the use of AI tools for the creation, alteration, or manipulation of images, figures, charts, tables, datasets, or original research data intended for publication. This includes augmentation, concealment, removal, or introduction of specific features within visual or data-based materials.

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Editorial Oversight and Enforcement

All content is subject to editorial review, plagiarism checks, and integrity assessments. Vintage Legal reserves the right to request clarifications, disclosures, revisions, or declarations concerning AI usage. Non-compliance may result in rejection, retraction, suspension of publication privileges, or other appropriate action.

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Editors and Reviewers

Editors and reviewers are required to maintain strict confidentiality. Unpublished manuscripts, submissions, or internal materials must not be uploaded to or processed through AI tools, as such use may compromise confidentiality, intellectual property rights, and data protection obligations.

AI tools may be used by editors or reviewers solely for limited language refinement of their own communications, without processing manuscript content.

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Policy Review and Updates

This AI Ethics and Responsible Use Statement will be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect developments in technology, legal standards, and best practices in academic and legal publishing. Continued engagement with Vintage Legal constitutes acceptance of the prevailing AI ethics framework.