AI policy

Generative AI use policy

The Editorial Board of “Drewno” recognises that artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted tools can serve as valuable auxiliary technologies and useful forms of support. However, their use must be responsible and clearly disclosed, and all AI-generated outputs must be reviewed, verified, and approved by humans. This commitment to transparency aligns with the principles of open science, which emphasise the traceability and reproducibility of research.

The policy aims to ensure the quality and credibility of published research, not to penalise Authors for using AI as a supporting tool.

For authors

Authors submitting to “Drewno” may use AI tools to assist in manuscript preparation, including writing and proofreading.

Tools that support language correctness and clarity, such as grammar checkers, style editors, or translation tools (e.g., Grammarly, DeepL, or comparable models) do not require disclosure, as they do not generate original content.

However, if authors use generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or comparable models) in ways that influence the substantive content of the manuscript – such as drafting paragraphs, summarising literature, formulating explanations, or generating text that becomes part of the submission – then this must be disclosed.

AI should always be used with human oversight and control, and authors remain fully responsible for their work.

If generative AI was used beyond mere proofreading or translation, Authors must:
• review and verify the accuracy, completeness, and fairness of all AI-generated content (including checking that references are valid and not fabricated),
• edit and adapt AI-assisted material to ensure it reflects their own original contribution and analysis, interpretation, and ideas,
• provide an AI disclosure statement upon submission (see “AI disclosure statement” below), which will be available only in the submission system for the Editorial Team and reviewers,
• ensure compliance with data privacy, intellectual property, and other legal obligations by reviewing the terms of any AI tools used.

“Drewno” does not recognise AI tools as authors and does not allow the use of AI-generated images, figures (including data-based figures and research results), and other forms of visual content.

For reviewers

Reviewers should not use generative AI or AI-assisted technologies to support the scientific review of a manuscript.

When a researcher is invited to evaluate an article, the document must be treated as strictly confidential. Reviewers must not upload the manuscript, in whole or in part, to any generative AI tool, as doing so could compromise the authors’ confidentiality or proprietary rights. Moreover, these tools cannot replace the critical judgment and independent evaluation required in peer review.

Reviewers remain fully responsible and accountable for the content of their review.

When Reviewers suspect the use of AI tools in a prohibited manner, despite the lack of Authors’ statement, they should report their concerns confidentially to the Editorial Office. The Editorial Board will evaluate the concern and, where appropriate, request clarification from the Authors in line with its editorial and publication ethics policies.

For editors

Editors are responsible for ensuring that all submitted manuscripts are handled in accordance with this policy. In particular, they must treat all manuscripts as confidential documents and must not upload them, in whole or in part, to generative AI tools or platforms that store or reuse content. Editors may, however, use similarity-checking tools for screening (such as iThenticate).

Editors must:
• remain fully responsible for all editorial assessments and decisions,
• evaluate any suspected AI use primarily through human-led assessment (for example, by assessing the coherence of the argument, the validity of references, and consistency of style) and request clarification from authors, when necessary,
• not base their decisions solely on the output of AI-detection tools, as these tools are not considered reliable or validated.

If a reviewer reports possible AI use in a manuscript, Editors must:
• independently verify the concern,
• determine whether confidentiality was maintained during the reviewer’s analysis,
• obtain an author disclosure statement where appropriate.

AI disclosure statement:

If generative AI was used (beyond proofreading/translation)

The authors declare that generative AI tools were used solely for [to be completed by the authors], and all AI-assisted content was reviewed, verified, and approved by the authors. The AI tools used include [name of the tool, version/date of use; to be completed by the authors].

If no generative AI was used (beyond standard language tools)

The authors declare that no generative AI tools were used in the preparation of this manuscript, apart from standard language-editing or translation tools that do not generate substantive content.