Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

The collection of scientific papers “Ways to Improve Construction Efficiency” establishes rules for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the preparation, submission, editorial processing, and peer review of manuscripts. The purpose of this policy is to ensure confidentiality, scientific reliability, transparency of the editorial process, and compliance with the principles of academic integrity. This policy has been developed taking into account the recommendations of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; in applying this policy, the editorial board follows the positions of COPE regarding the use of AI tools in scholarly publishing.

General Principles

Artificial intelligence tools may be used only as auxiliary means and exclusively under full human control. The use of AI does not release authors, editors, reviewers, or other persons involved in the editorial process from personal responsibility for the content of the text, the accuracy of facts, the reliability of data, the correctness of references, compliance with ethical standards, and adherence to academic integrity requirements.

Artificial intelligence may not be listed as an author or co-author of a manuscript and cannot bear responsibility for the content of a scholarly work, an editorial assessment, or a peer review report.

Requirements for Authors

Authors are required to disclose any use of AI tools, except for basic grammar, spelling, punctuation, or technical formatting checks, provided that such use did not affect the scholarly content of the manuscript.

If AI has been used, authors must declare this in a separate section of the manuscript. Such a declaration should include the name of the tool, its version where available, the purpose of its use, the part of the work in which it was used, and a description of the human review and editing of the output. The AI use disclosure should be placed before the references or in another location specified by the journal’s editorial requirements.

Authors bear full responsibility for the final content of the manuscript, including the accuracy of facts, the absence of fabricated data, falsification, fabrication, false or nonexistent references, and any violations of copyright, confidentiality, or third-party rights.

The use of AI to create, alter, or substitute research data, results, tables, figures, illustrations, references, conclusions, or other substantial elements of a scholarly work without proper disclosure and editorial permission shall be considered a violation of academic integrity.

Authors must also ensure that the terms of use of the relevant AI tools do not restrict the lawful use of the generated material in scholarly publication and do not conflict with the requirements of open access, copyright, personal data protection, or confidentiality.

Confidentiality During Peer Review and Editorial Processing

Editors, reviewers, and other persons involved in the editorial process are prohibited from uploading submitted manuscripts, supplementary files, review reports, or internal correspondence to external artificial intelligence services or other systems that may compromise confidentiality, copyright, personal data protection, or the conditions of double-blind peer review.

Editors and reviewers are also prohibited from using AI to create, formulate, or substantially process peer review reports, editorial assessments, or editorial decisions concerning a manuscript. All evaluations of scholarly quality, originality, reliability, and publication suitability must be carried out by a human.

Editorial Screening and Review

The editorial board may examine manuscripts for undisclosed or improper use of AI by means of available technical tools, editorial analysis, and expert assessment. The results of automated tools are auxiliary in nature and shall not serve as the sole basis for an editorial decision.

Where reasonable concerns arise, the editorial board has the right to request additional explanations from the authors, a revised AI use declaration, clarification of the manuscript preparation process, source materials, or other supporting documents. The editorial board is not obliged to provide authors with the full technical results of its internal screening.

Use of AI by the Editorial Office

If the editorial office uses AI tools for technical language editing, formatting, or other auxiliary production processes, final responsibility for all editorial changes and decisions remains with a human editor. Such use must not compromise the confidentiality of submitted materials and may not replace human editorial judgment.

Consequences of Policy Violation

Undisclosed or improper use of AI may result in a request for additional explanations, return of the manuscript for revision, rejection of the manuscript, or, if the violation is identified after publication, the application of post-publication measures in accordance with the journal’s editorial policy, including correction, expression of concern, or retraction.

Final Provision

Submission of a manuscript to the collection means that the authors have read and accepted this policy and bear full responsibility for the proper, transparent, and ethical use of artificial intelligence tools in the preparation of the submitted materials.