In response to the rapid development and increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, the Editorial Board adopts the present policy establishing the principles governing the use of such tools in the preparation, evaluation, and publication of manuscripts.

This policy has been developed in accordance with the current guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) concerning the use of artificial intelligence tools in scholarly and publishing activities.

The fundamental principles governing the use of AI tools in the publication process are transparency, accountability, scientific integrity, protection of intellectual property, and the preservation of the confidentiality of the peer-review process.

Principles Applicable to Authors

1. Authorship and Responsibility

1. Artificial intelligence tools may not be listed as authors or co-authors of a publication.
2. Only natural persons who satisfy the authorship criteria adopted by the Journal may be recognized as authors.
3. The use of AI tools does not relieve authors of responsibility for the content of the manuscript.
4. The author bears full responsibility for: a) the substantive accuracy of the manuscript; b) the integrity and reliability of the research results presented; c) the accuracy of citations and references to sources; d) compliance with the principles of publication ethics; e) compliance with regulations concerning personal data protection, copyright, and other intellectual property rights.

2. Obligation to Disclose the Use of AI

1. Authors are required to disclose any significant use of AI tools in the preparation of a manuscript.
2. Significant use of AI tools shall, in particular, include situations in which such tools have been employed to create, analyse, interpret, or modify content relevant to the substantive aspects of the manuscript, including the analysis of research material or the preparation of visual materials related to the presentation of research findings.
3. As a general rule, the use of tools intended solely for language editing, stylistic revision, translation of text fragments, or text formatting shall not be regarded as significant use of AI.
4. Information concerning the use of AI shall be included in the first footnote of the manuscript or in another location designated by the Editorial Board. In addition, authors shall submit a declaration (download) regarding the use of AI tools when submitting their manuscripts.
5. Failure to disclose significant use of AI tools may be considered a violation of publication ethics.

3. Permissible Scope of AI Use

1. AI tools may be used solely as auxiliary instruments and may not replace the author’s independent and creative scholarly work.
2. The use of AI is permissible, in particular, for: a) searching scientific literature and databases; b) language and stylistic editing of the manuscript; c) translating text fragments; d) generating graphs, tables, diagrams, and visualisations based on data developed by the author, subject to the disclosure requirements set forth in § 2; e) supporting the analysis of research material, provided that the author retains full substantive control over the research process.
3. Where AI is used for data analysis, the generation of visual materials, or other elements relevant to research outcomes, the author shall disclose such use in the manuscript in a manner enabling an assessment of the impact of the tool on the research results. The author remains responsible for ensuring that generated visual materials comply with publication ethics standards and applicable law.

4. Verification and Scientific Integrity

1. Authors are required to independently and thoroughly verify all content generated or processed using AI tools.
2. This obligation shall include, in particular, the verification of: a) factual information; b) statistical data; c) citations and descriptions of sources; d) analyses conducted with the assistance of AI tools; e) interpretations and conclusions.
3. The uncritical reproduction of content generated by AI tools is prohibited
4. Authors are responsible for the scientific integrity of their publications, including exercising due diligence in verifying the information presented, avoiding misleading content, respecting the rights of third parties, and complying with applicable law.

Principles Applicable to Reviewers

5. Confidentiality of the Peer-Review Process

1. Manuscripts submitted for review are confidential and constitute the intellectual property of the authors until publication.
2. Reviewers are required to maintain the confidentiality of the manuscript and of all information obtained in connection with the review process.
3. Reviewers bear personal responsibility for the content of the reviews they prepare.

6. Restrictions on the Use of AI

1. It is prohibited to upload all or any part of an unpublished manuscript to external artificial intelligence systems.
2. This prohibition includes, in particular, the use of AI tools for: a) generating reviews; b) preparing manuscript summaries; c) analysing unpublished research data; d) formulating editorial recommendations based on the manuscript. 
3. The use of basic tools supporting text editing (e.g., spell-checking or grammar-checking software) is permissible, provided that: a) the content of the manuscript is not transmitted to external learning systems; and b) according to the information provided by the service provider, the tool does not use the data for further model training or otherwise ensures an appropriate level of confidentiality.
4. Peer reviews shall result from the reviewer’s independent and expert assessment.
5. In cases of doubt concerning the admissibility of using a particular AI tool, reviewers shall consult the Editorial Board before using it.

7. Violation of the Principles

Violation of the above principles may result in the reviewer being excluded from the peer-review process and in the adoption of measures consistent with COPE guidelines concerning breaches of publication ethics.

Principles Applicable to Editors

8. Use of AI by the Editorial Board

1. Members of the Editorial Board are required to maintain the confidentiality of all materials related to the publication process.
2. It is prohibited to transfer unpublished manuscripts, author data, reviewer data, or any other confidential information to external artificial intelligence systems.
3. The use of AI tools is permissible solely for technical support in editorial work, particularly for: a) language and stylistic editing; b) organisation of editorial processes; c) preparing informational and promotional materials that do not contain confidential content.
4. The use of AI tools shall not compromise the confidentiality of the publication process or affect the independence of editorial decisions
5. In justified cases, the Editorial Board may use tools designed to assist in identifying the potential use of artificial intelligence systems, provided that such use does not violate the confidentiality of the publication process or the rights of authors. The results obtained through such tools shall be of an auxiliary nature only and shall always require human assessment.

Assessment of the Use of AI

9. Editorial Procedures

1. The Editorial Board may request that authors provide additional information concerning the use of AI tools in the preparation of their manuscripts.
2. Failure to disclose significant use of AI may be treated as a violation of publication ethics.
3. In cases where violations are identified, the Editorial Board shall act in accordance with the Journal’s procedures and the relevant COPE guidelines.
4. Editorial decisions shall not be based solely on the results of tools intended to detect AI-generated content. Any results obtained through such tools shall serve only as auxiliary information and shall not constitute an independent basis for determining a breach of publication ethics.

This policy shall be subject to periodic review and may be updated in response to changes in COPE guidelines, developments in AI technologies, and the evolution of publishing practices.