AI policy

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a vital tool in the marketing landscape, enhancing content creation opportunities and customer engagement. This AI use policy guides our team in the transparent and ethical use of AI. AI use must always align with our values and prioritization of human-led marketing, sales and communications initiatives. Customer rights must always be preserved with the use of any new technology, and AI is no exception.

Guidelines for Responsible AI Usage

Transparency

We’re committed to complete transparency about our use of AI. We use AI to assist in some content development at our company. To ensure transparency, accountability, quality, and privacy, we adhere to strict AI usage standards that help us safeguard against biases, maintain data security and ensure ethical marketing practices.

We use AI to assist in human-led content ideation, creation and editing. We never fully automate content development with AI. Our processes ensure every content development is led and reviewed by people who understand our audience, our customer’s audience, and AI’s limitations.

AI Tool Sourcing and Usage

The speed at which AI tools are proliferating – both as standalone solutions and within established software applications – makes naming every possible AI usage instance impractical. AI is now in our word processors, email applications, project management tools, spreadsheets, presentation software, imaging and video software, website builders, ad management platforms, analytics suites, and virtually all other business tools.

We also have experienced many clients openly using AI tools for ideation, creation, editing and more, even as we pass drafts back and forth between our teams, making it virtually impossible to ensure that no piece of content has been free of AI influence of contribution.

For these reasons, it’s impractical to identify AI usage at the individual tool level fully (it’s on track to be embedded in most applications at some level). Instead, we rely on principles for AI tool use within our organization, in our own content and for client deliverables. Those principles are as follows:

  • Human-led. All projects, tasks and deliverables are human-led. In our organization, this means humans are engaged throughout the development process. Additionally, no deliverable, no matter how small, can be handed off to a client without human review.
  • Privacy and data security. Proprietary data – whether ours or our clients – is never submitted to LLMs or other AI tools for training.
  • Ethical use. Like all other content, AI must not be used to mislead or manipulate humans or in any use case that could be deemed unethical. Additionally, AI may not be used to impersonate anyone without their permission. With permission and review, employees may use AI to help them mimic the styles of teammates or clients to draft or edit content on behalf of that individual. Additionally, it is our responsibility to ensure that all AI outputs are free from bias and are accessible.
  • Fact-checking. AI hallucinations are real. All data and sourcing must always be human-checked.
  • Security protocols always apply. Since AI tools, like any software platform, can be targeted for a cyberattack, our security team and advisors must first clear the use of any tool. Always use applications approved by our IT and/or security teams.

When Not to Use AI

Do not use tools not vetted by our IT and/or security teams.

Training Employees on AI Usage

All employees involved in content creation should be trained in AI best practices, including the technical aspects of using AI and the ethical and other considerations detailed in this policy.

Best Practices for Implementation

To practically implement this policy, always follow these steps:

  1. Understand the AI system you’re using, including how it works and its potential limitations.
  2. Ensure that all employees and new hires have read this policy.
  3. Document use cases and standards whenever possible.
  4. Build in constant training.

Acceptance

We aim to leverage AI technology to develop maximum benefit for our clients. Your agreement with this policy is implicit in your employment and in your use of AI in your work. Non-compliance could lead to disciplinary action or employment termination.