Academic Librarianship and Information Research

Academic Librarianship and Information Research

Extracting Institutional, Ethical, and Technical Requirements for AI Application in Iran’s Scientific Publishing: A Qualitative Expert-Based Study

Document Type : Research Article

Author
Ghasem Azadi Ahmadabadi
Faculty Member, National Science Policy Research Center, Tehran, Iran.
10.22059/jlib.2026.418597.1831
Abstract
Objective: The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in scientific publishing, while creating unprecedented opportunities, has also introduced significant institutional, ethical, and technical challenges. Despite the widespread use of generative AI tools, Iran’s scientific publishing system lacks an indigenous, systematic framework to regulate this application. This study aims to extract the institutional, ethical, and technical requirements for AI application in Iran’s scientific publishing system from the perspective of experts.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted within an interpretive-constructivist paradigm. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 experts in Iran’s scientific publishing field, including editors-in-chief, peer reviewers, editorial board members, and research ethics specialists. Purposeful sampling with maximum variation and snowball strategies was employed until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data analysis utilized Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis method in six stages, supported by MAXQDA 2022 software. Trustworthiness was evaluated based on Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) criteria, and inter-coder reliability was confirmed through Cohen’s Kappa coefficient (0.83).
Results: Analysis identified four main themes and 17 sub-themes, comprising a total of 141 codes. The main themes include: (1) institutional and governance requirements (cross-sectoral structure, localization of international frameworks, enforcement guarantees, national working group composition); (2) ethical and cultural requirements (ethical concerns, observed misuse, generational adoption gap, indigenous values to be emphasized, AI literacy institutionalization); (3) operational and technical requirements (mandatory self-declaration, low-cost monitoring mechanisms, indigenous tool development, training prioritization); and (4) stage-specific requirements of the publishing cycle (specific guidelines for research, writing, peer review, publication, and post-publication stages).
Conclusions: Responsible AI application in Iran’s scientific publishing system requires a multi-layered, cross-sectoral, and localized approach that extends from macro-policy level to the operational level of each of the five stages of the publishing cycle. Without a cross-sectoral governance structure, active localization of international frameworks, development of Persian-tailored domestic tools, institutionalization of AI literacy, and stage-specific guidelines, responsible application of this technology will not be feasible. The findings of this study can serve as an operational roadmap for policymakers, editors-in-chief, and stakeholders in Iran’s scientific publishing ecosystem.
Keywords
artificial intelligence
scientific publishing
context-specific requirements
thematic analysis
research integrity
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Academic Librarianship and Information Research
Volume 60, Issue 2
Spring 2026
Pages 1-27