The Journal of the Artificial Intelligence Engineers Consortium (JAIEC) recognizes that there may be exceptional circumstances in which an author may need to withdraw their manuscript from consideration for publication. This Withdrawal Policy outlines the process and conditions under which a manuscript can be withdrawn, ensuring transparency and clarity for authors, reviewers, and editors.

1. Conditions for Withdrawal

• Before Peer Review: Authors may request to withdraw their manuscript at any time before the peer review process begins. This is generally allowed without penalty, provided that no significant work has been done by the editorial team.

• After Peer Review or Revision: Once a manuscript has been sent for peer review or has undergone revisions, withdrawal requests will be subject to additional considerations. Authors must provide a valid reason for the withdrawal, such as:

  • Decision to submit the manuscript to another journal.

  • Substantial errors discovered that require major revisions or resubmission.

  • Author’s inability to address reviewer comments in a timely manner.

  • Unforeseen personal or professional circumstances.

• Post-Acceptance: If an article has been accepted but not yet published, withdrawal may still be considered, but only under exceptional circumstances. Authors must provide a detailed explanation, and the editorial team will assess the situation.

2. Withdrawal Process

• Author Request: To initiate a withdrawal, the corresponding author must formally notify the editorial office of their intention to withdraw the manuscript. This request should be sent via email and include a brief explanation for the withdrawal.

• Formal Acknowledgment: Upon receiving the withdrawal request, the editorial team will acknowledge the request within 3-5 business days and provide confirmation of the withdrawal, if applicable.

• Withdrawal After Peer Review: If the manuscript has already been reviewed, authors must ensure that they do not submit the same manuscript to another journal without notifying the previous journal. Failure to notify could result in the manuscript being blacklisted by other journals or publishers.

• Final Decision: The manuscript will be officially marked as withdrawn in the journal’s system, and no further actions will be taken regarding its publication.

3. Fees and Charges

• No Withdrawal Fee Before Peer Review: If a manuscript is withdrawn before the peer review process begins, no fees will be charged, and no additional obligations will be incurred by the author.

• Post-Peer Review Fees: If a manuscript is withdrawn after peer review has been completed or during the revision process, the authors may be subject to a nominal fee to cover administrative costs. This fee will be communicated by the editorial team before any withdrawal is finalized.

• Accepted Articles: For manuscripts that have been accepted and are in the final stages of production, authors may be required to pay a partial processing fee if the withdrawal request is received at this stage, to cover the editorial, formatting, and administrative costs already incurred.

4. Reasons for Withdrawal

• Ethical Concerns: If there are ethical concerns about the manuscript (e.g., plagiarism, duplicate publication, or data manipulation), the editorial team will conduct an investigation, and the manuscript may be withdrawn as a result of the findings.

• Technical or Substantial Errors: If an author finds significant errors in the data, methodology, or conclusions of the paper after submission, they may request withdrawal. The editorial team will assess if the issue can be resolved through revision or if a withdrawal is necessary.

• Conflict of Interest: If an author realizes they have a conflict of interest (e.g., undisclosed financial ties or personal relationships that affect the manuscript), they may withdraw the manuscript to avoid any appearance of impropriety.

5. Consequences of Withdrawal

• Rejection of Future Submissions: Frequent or unexplained withdrawals may be noted in the author’s record and could impact the acceptance of future submissions. Authors are encouraged to carefully evaluate the readiness of their manuscript before submitting it to JAIEC to avoid unnecessary withdrawals.

• Public Disclosure: If an article has been accepted and the withdrawal is final, a brief public notice may be issued on the journal’s website indicating the withdrawal of the manuscript, especially if the paper had already been announced for publication.

6. Ethical Considerations in Withdrawal

• No Dual Submission: Once a manuscript is submitted to JAIEC, authors are expected not to submit the same manuscript to other journals unless it is officially withdrawn from JAIEC. Dual submissions are considered unethical and will result in rejection.

• Transparency: Authors must be transparent in their communication when requesting a withdrawal. Any attempt to withdraw a manuscript without a clear and valid reason could be considered unethical and may result in future submissions being flagged for review.

• Reviewers and Editors: If the manuscript has gone through the peer review process, the reviewers will be notified of the manuscript’s withdrawal to ensure that no further work is done on the paper.

7. Author's Responsibility

• Authors are responsible for ensuring that they are ready to proceed with the submission before submitting a manuscript to JAIEC. A thorough review of the manuscript before submission can minimize the chances of needing to withdraw it during the review process.

8. Policy Revision

• This policy may be reviewed and updated periodically. Any changes to the policy will be communicated to authors through the journal’s website and other official channels.

The Journal of the Artificial Intelligence Engineers Consortium (JAIEC) aims to provide a transparent and efficient process for manuscript withdrawal, ensuring that authors have a clear understanding of the implications and responsibilities associated with withdrawing their work. Our goal is to maintain a high standard of academic integrity while supporting the needs of our contributors.