Who owns the figures you make?
As between you and Vizcept, you own them β on the free plan, on a subscription and with a credit pack. Our Terms of Service say so under "Content You Generate", and we claim no rights in your figures.
What your plan changes is the file you can download:
| Plan | What you can download |
|---|---|
| Free | A watermarked preview |
| Subscription, or a credit pack within its 365 days | The full-resolution PNG (2K, or 4K on paid plans) without a watermark, and SVG |
Copyright in AI-assisted images depends on the country, so we can't promise a figure is protected by copyright. We can promise we won't claim it.
Can you publish Vizcept figures in a journal or thesis?
Yes, as far as Vizcept is concerned: there is no license fee, no per-figure certificate and no credit line we require.
Journals set their own AI rules, and those apply on top. Most accept explanatory figures β frameworks, flowcharts, workflow diagrams β when you disclose the tool; Springer Nature and Science are stricter, some restrict AI graphical abstracts, and those that address images of experimental data forbid AI-made ones. Check your publisher in our journal AI figure policy table, which also helps you write the AI disclosure statement.
Do you need a publication license certificate?
No. Some figure tools issue a publication license or certificate per figure β BioRender, SciDraw and FigureLabs all do. Vizcept doesn't need one: the Terms already give you the rights on every plan.
If an editor asks how you are allowed to publish the figure, send them the link to our Terms of Service and point to "Content You Generate". Put the AI disclosure in your caption as your journal requires.
What happens to your descriptions and uploads?
- Vizcept stores your descriptions and figures in your account so you can reopen and revise them.
- We do not train AI models on them, and we don't show your figures publicly without your permission.
- To draw a figure, we send your description β and any image you ask us to edit β to our AI infrastructure providers, which run models developed by Google, Anthropic and OpenAI.
| Provider | What it processes | Training, as the provider states it | Retention, as the provider states it |
|---|---|---|---|
| APIMart (apimart.ai) | Most figure generation, and the analysis of syntax trees and sentence diagrams | "We do not use your data to train AI models" | Stores outputs temporarily; no period given |
| KIE.ai (kie.ai) | Figure edits, and backup when APIMart is unavailable | Its terms allow it to use submitted content for "operating and improving our services" | Generated media 14 days; logs 2 months |
So don't paste confidential, personal or embargoed material that you are not allowed to share with third-party providers.
What should you tell the journal?
Most publishers ask for the tool, the model or version, when you used it and what it did β in the figure caption, the article text or both, depending on the publisher. Our AI disclosure statement generator drafts both with the details your publisher asks for.
Keep what the figure was built from β your variable list, screening counts or notes β and download each version you use. Taylor & Francis, for example, can ask authors for every image version and the prompts behind it.
What can't you use Vizcept for?
- Images that stand for experimental data: western blots, gels, micrographs, histology, medical images, or any fabricated result. Our Terms prohibit it, and so does every publisher that addresses it.
- Copying someone else's copyrighted figure, or depicting a real person.
- Anything else the Terms of Service rule out.
Questions about rights and data
Can I use Vizcept figures commercially?
Yes. The Terms let you use generated content for any lawful purpose, including commercial work. Paid plans and valid credit packs give you the full-resolution file without a watermark.
Do I have to credit Vizcept?
Vizcept doesn't require credit. Most journals do require you to disclose the AI tool you used, usually in the figure caption, and that disclosure names Vizcept.
Does Vizcept train AI on my figures?
No. Vizcept does not train AI models on your descriptions or figures. Our model providers process them under their own terms: APIMart says it does not train on customer data, while KIE.ai's terms allow it to use content to improve its services.
Who owns figures made on the free plan?
You do. Ownership is the same on every plan; the free plan downloads a watermarked preview, and the full-resolution file needs a paid plan or a credit pack.
Check your journal before you submit
Ten publishers' AI figure rules in one table, with the AI disclosure statement each one asks for.