diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING b/CONTRIBUTING
index 7bae56d..8db6df9 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING
@@ -1,47 +1,56 @@
-Contributing to Reticulum MeshChatX
+# Contributing to Reticulum MeshChatX
 
-Patches are the preferred way to contribute. Create your changes locally,
-export a .patch file, and send it over Reticulum.
+Patches are the preferred way to contribute. Create your changes locally, export a `.patch` file, and send it over Reticulum.
 
-
-Generating a Patch
-------------------
+## Generating a patch
 
 1. Clone or fork the repository and make your changes on a branch.
 
 2. Stage and commit your work:
 
-    git add -A
-    git commit -m "Short description of the change"
+   ```bash
+   git add -A
+   git commit -m "Short description of the change"
+   ```
 
-3. Export the commit(s) as a .patch file:
+3. Export the commit(s) as a `.patch` file:
 
-    # Single most recent commit
-    git format-patch -1
+   ```bash
+   # Single most recent commit
+   git format-patch -1
 
-    # Last N commits
-    git format-patch -N
+   # Last N commits
+   git format-patch -N
 
-    # All commits since a branch point
-    git format-patch main..HEAD
+   # All commits since a branch point
+   git format-patch main..HEAD
+   ```
 
-   This produces one .patch file per commit (e.g. 0001-my-change.patch).
+   This produces one `.patch` file per commit (for example `0001-my-change.patch`).
 
+## Sending the patch
 
-Sending the Patch
------------------
+Send the `.patch` file as an LXMF message over Reticulum to:
 
-Send the .patch file as an LXMF message over Reticulum to:
+```
+7cc8d66b4f6a0e0e49d34af7f6077b5a
+```
 
-    7cc8d66b4f6a0e0e49d34af7f6077b5a
+You can attach the file using Sideband, Meshchat, MeshchatX, or any LXMF-capable client with attachments support. Include a brief description of what the patch does in the message body.
 
-You can attach the file using Sideband, Meshchat, MeshchatX, or any LXMF-capable client with attachments support.
-Include a brief description of what the patch does in the message body.
+Lastly, be patient.
 
-Lastly, be patient. 
-
-Patch Guidelines
-----------------
+## Patch guidelines
 
 - Keep patches focused on a single change or fix.
-- Test your changes before exporting.
\ No newline at end of file
+- Test your changes before exporting.
+- No need to run linting or formatting.
+- No need to add a test or run the test suite.
+
+## Generative AI policy
+
+You may use generative AI tools when contributing, on the condition that your setup actually supplies the model with enough context to produce sound work: relevant files, constraints, failing tests, and project conventions. Vague prompts and thin context lead to wrong or generic patches; that burden is on the contributor, not the reviewers.
+
+We prefer models that run locally or offline when that is practical for you.
+
+Contributions must still be yours to justify and maintain. Do not submit bulk-generated changes you have not read, understood, and tested. We are not looking for unreviewed AI output or style-only churn from tools used without engineering/architectural judgment.
\ No newline at end of file