Just a year ago, the topic of artificial intelligence in a dissertation was treated as a theoretical discussion. Today, it is a legal obligation with concrete consequences—ranging all the way to denial of the defense and revocation of the academic degree.
It took effect on February 1, 2026 Law No. 4742-IX on academic integrity, and Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 928 As of July 30, 2025, every candidate for a Doctor of Science degree is required to personally sign the declaration on the title page. Without this signature, the committee has grounds to deny the candidate permission to defend their dissertation.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at exactly what to write, where to post it, how the commission reviews it, and what mistakes to avoid.
What Is CMU Resolution No. 928 and What Changes Did It Bring About?
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 928 — This is not a separate law, but rather specific amendments to the basic Procedure for Awarding the Degree of Doctor of Science (CMU No. 1197 (effective as of 2021). It took effect immediately upon publication—on July 30, 2025—and, as of June 2026, remains in effect without any changes.
The key provision is contained in the amended paragraph 9 of the Procedure: the applicant with their own signature on the title page certifies that all parts of the text written with the use of AI have been reviewed and edited by him personally.
In addition, the resolution:
- introduced a provision allowing for the revocation of an academic degree upon the discovery of undeclared AI content;
- prohibited the appointment of individuals who have an employment relationship with the same institution as opponents;
- granted the Ministry of Education and Science the right to request additional materials from the chair of the doctoral council.
This resolution is in force in conjunction with By Law No. 4742-IX, which, effective February 1, 2026, made the declaration of AI a legal requirement for all degree candidates—not just those pursuing a Ph.D.
For more details on what is generally permitted and how the use of AI is regulated in Ukraine in 2026, read the article AI in Theses: What Is Permitted and How It Will Be Reviewed in Ukraine in 2026.
Where should the AI declaration be placed in a dissertation: on the title page, in the introduction, or in a separate chapter?
The answer depends on what degree you are pursuing.
Doctor of Science — The requirement is clear and prescriptive: the declaration must be posted on the title page with the applicant's handwritten signature. There are no alternatives.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) — Resolution No. 928 formally regulates only the procedure for awarding the degree of Doctor of Science. In Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Order No. 44 A separate section for the PhD declaration has not yet been specified. However, Law No. 4742-IX extends the transparency requirement to everyone—regardless of rank.
By July 31, 2026, every university is required to adopt an internal policy on AI. Therefore, the first thing a PhD candidate should do is contact the graduate studies office to find out the format and submission location for the declaration at your institution.
Until then, the practice at leading universities has been as follows:
- on the title page (following the same guidelines as for doctoral theses);
- in the introduction, in the section on methodology;
- at the end of the introductory chapter, after the list of field trials.
What to Include in a Declaration: Structure and Sample
Law No. 4742-IX and Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 928 Together, they define the required content of the declaration:
| Element | Mandatory |
|---|---|
| Specific names of AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc.) | Be sure to |
| Purpose and Objectives of Using Each Tool | Be sure to |
| Confirmation of Personal Review and Editing | Be sure to |
| The stage of the project in which AI was used | Recommended |
| Author's signature | Be sure to |
Recommended template:
“The following artificial intelligence tools were used in this work: [names]. They were used for [specific tasks: literature search, grammar checking, translation of quotations, etc.]. All sections written with the use of AI have been reviewed and edited by the author personally. The scientific arguments, conclusions, and results represent the author’s own intellectual contribution.”
Regarding length: no regulatory document sets a minimum or maximum. In practice, the declaration consists of 3–6 sentences. If AI was not used at all, a single brief statement to that effect is sufficient.
Read the article to learn how to properly prepare a researcher's profile for the defense and what else the committee reviews What a Researcher's Scopus Profile Looks Like: What the Committee Checks at a Defence.
How the committee reviews the declaration during the defense
The verification process takes place at several levels.
To the defense. The dissertation goes through the system StrikePlagiarism — the de facto standard for Ukrainian universities in 2025–2026. Starting in December 2025, the platform will feature a full-fledged AI content detection module: it generates an official PDF report with two metrics—the percentage of text plagiarism and the percentage of text likely generated by a machine.
Technical review of documents. The council secretary verifies that the declaration appears on the title page and that the applicant has signed it. If there is no signature, the requirement has not been formally met, even if the declaration is included in the text.
During the defense. Committee members and official reviewers may ask clarifying questions: what tool was used, for what specific tasks, how was the research conducted, and where did the data come from. This is a key mechanism for identifying excessive use of AI: if the applicant cannot explain the methodology, the text is automatically called into question.
Important: No AI detector is 100 percent reliable. Manufacturers StrikePlagiarism They officially acknowledge that the report provides a “probability ratio” rather than a verdict. The detector’s reading cannot serve as the sole evidence in disciplinary proceedings.
Common Mistakes When Filing a Tax Return
Applicants regularly make the same mistakes—ranging from failing to submit a declaration at all to including fictitious AI sources in their bibliography, which constitutes fabrication.
All common AI-related errors in scientific papers that lead to inclusion in the Register of Offenders are discussed in detail in the article Top 5 AI Mistakes in Research Papers That Lead to Inclusion in the Violators' Registry.
Conclusion
The AI Declaration in the 2026 dissertation is not a formality, nor is it bureaucracy for bureaucracy’s sake. It is a real legal tool that protects both science and the candidate.
Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 928 and Law No. 4742-IX The rules have been clearly defined: declare what you have used, specify the particular tools and their purpose, and confirm your identity. Concealment is a violation on par with plagiarism; the consequences range from a warning from the committee to revocation of your degree.
Three minutes spent on a properly completed tax return can save you years of work.
If you haven't yet decided on a publication strategy for your dissertation defense, make sure to review the Ministry of Education and Science's requirements in advance. For more information on Category "B" and expedited publication, read the article How to Get Published Quickly in a Category "B" Journal: Practical Tips for Ukrainian Researchers.
