1. Authorship and Responsibility

• Non-Authorship: Generative AI (GenAI) tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors of any manuscript submitted to JICIVILTECH.
• Full Accountability: Authors are entirely responsible for the content of their submissions, including all text, figures, and data generated or modified using AI tools.
• Integrity: The use of AI does not absolve authors from accountability regarding the accuracy, originality, and ethical compliance of their work.

2. Acceptable Use

Authors may utilize GenAI tools only for supportive purposes, such as:

• Language Enhancement: Improving grammar, language flow, or manuscript structure.
• Technical Support: Generating code snippets, complex calculations, or visualizations, provided they are verified by the authors.
• Organization: Summarizing or organizing references with proper human verification and citation.

3. Prohibited Use

GenAI tools must not be used for:

• Data Manipulation: Fabricating, falsifying, or manipulating data, images, citations, or scientific results.
• Automated Writing: Generating full manuscripts or entire sections without substantial human oversight and critical contribution.
• Replacing Reasoning: Replacing critical scientific reasoning, interpretation, or the peer-review process.
• Sanctions: Manuscripts found to contain unverifiable or fabricated AI content will be rejected or retracted in accordance with COPE Guidelines.

4. Declaration Requirement

Authors must explicitly declare the use of Generative AI or AI-assisted technologies by including a dedicated section titled "Generative AI Statement" exactly before the References section, in full alignment with the official JICIVILTECH article template. Authors must select and include exactly one of the following scenarios based on their actual AI usage:

• Scenario 1: No AI Tools Used (Default Statement)
  "The authors declare that no Generative AI or AI-assisted tools were used in the creation, analysis, writing, or editing of this manuscript."
• Scenario 2: AI Used Only for Language Editing, Grammar, and Readability
  “Portions of this work were assisted by the use of [Insert Tool Name, Version] solely for language editing, grammar corrections, and readability enhancement. The authors have meticulously reviewed and take full academic responsibility for the final content.”      
• Scenario 3: AI Used for Supportive Technical Assistance (e.g., Code/Calculations)
  "The authors utilized [Insert Tool Name, Version] to assist with [e.g., generating specific code snippets / performing calculations / structural data organization]. All AI-generated outputs were independently verified, tested, and validated by the authors, who maintain full accountability for the research integrity."

5. Ethical Oversight

This policy is aligned with:

• COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics) guidance on AI (2023).
• YOK (Council of Higher Education) Scientific Research and Publication Ethics Directive
• JICIVILTECH Reviewer and Editor Guidelines (which strictly prohibits peer-reviewers from utilizing GenAI tools during the evaluation process to safeguard confidentiality).