To the developers: How does Shared Designs exactly work?

[Tracer]

So there is a bit of confusion as to what extent the AI uses Shared designs. As I understand it, on the setting "Always use shared designs", the AI will use player design if the design year =< current campaign year, the tech is available and the cost is not deemed too high. But some say the AI uses player designs further than that. It takes a player's designs and changes the values (armour thickness, gun length etc.), but the design layout is the same and then claims it as its own design. Is the AI really programmed to do this or is it just a coincidence what these other players have observed?

[Bishotron]

this is a good question... I was talking about this with friends just the other day.. I was talking about making ships of certain types to force the AI to use them... and someone mentioned that the AI uses your designs as "guidelines" and will make ships "inspired" by them... 
is this true? if so... wants the point of making ships? I want the AI to use MY Design...not something randomly generated