Use of Generative AI in Communications and Marketing

These standards are intended to complement the institutional policy and apply to anyone using generative AI tools in marketing and communications.

Checklist

Is there explicit consent for all personally identifiable data used?
Is the AI-generated content being misrepresented as human-created?
Does it align with our brand voice and ethical standards?
Have we reviewed it for copyright, legal, and data privacy risks?
Would the audience feel misled if they knew AI was used?
Have we obtained informed consent before uploading any personal information into an AI tool?
Has the content been fact-checked and reviewed by a human?

Core Ethical Principles

Transparency – Clearly disclose when AI-generated content is used, particularly in public-facing materials.
Authenticity – Maintain the integrity of brand voice and ensure AI content aligns with human creativity and values.
Accountability – Ensure that AI-generated content is reviewed, approved, and legally compliant.
Privacy and Consent – Obtain explicit, informed consent before using any personal data, image, voice, or likeness in AI-generated content.
Fairness and Non-Deception – AI should not mislead consumers, stakeholders, or employees, particularly in testimonials, endorsements, or synthetic personas.
Data Integrity and Copyright Compliance – Respect intellectual property laws, avoid unauthorized use of copyrighted material, and ensure ethical data sourcing.
Human Oversight and Judgment – AI should assist but not replace human creativity. Final content must always be reviewed by humans.
Ethical Persuasion – AI should not be used to place undue or untrue pressures on students to respond.

Principle	Philosophical Foundation	Marketing Application
Transparency	Users should always know when AI is being used.	AI enhanced content should include a label or disclosure statements.
Authenticity	AI should maintain the integrity of brand voice and organizational values. Use AI as an amplifier, not an author.	AI-generated marketing must be reviewed and edited by staff fluent in brand standards and based on real human insights.
Accountability	Humans are responsible for AI decisions. Human Review is non-negotiable. AI should be evaluated to ensure it does not perpetuate stereotypes or misinformation	AI-generated marketing must be reviewed, edited, and approved by staff to ensure ethical and factual integrity.
Privacy and Consent	AI should not exploit personal data or human likeness. AI should not violate FERPA, HIPAA, or GDPR.	No student data or images uploaded into public AI databases without consent. Using someone’s voice in an AI chatbot without their permission.
Fairness and Non-Deception	AI should not mislead.	AI should not be used to create synthetic testimonials, quotes, endorsements, reviews, etc.
Data Integrity and Copyright Compliance	AI should not infringe on someone’s intellectual property rights or copyrighted material. Data should be verified from a credible source.	Do not allow scraping, remixing, or repurposing of copyrighted or personally identifiable information (PII) without explicit legal approval.
Human Oversight and Judgment	AI should enhance, not replace, human creativity.	AI-generated testimonials must be real people.
Ethical Persuasion	AI must not manipulate or pressure students (Higher Education Act).	No fake urgency tactics (e.g., “Only 5 spots left!) when untrue. No misrepresentation, undue pressure, or deceptive marketing practices.

Acceptable Uses of Generative AI

Communication and marketing roles and responsibilities throughout the college are encouraged to use generative AI tools to enhance productivity, creativity, and efficiency, provided the applications align with the college’s mission, values, and policies. The following are acceptable uses:

Content Creation and Optimization

Drafting marketing copy for websites, emails, social media, stories, and newsletters.
Assisting in personalizing messaging, grammar, structure, and voice assistance.
Assisting in potential questions or objections.
Assisting with editing and/or cutting content.
Generating ideas for campaigns, slogans, or graphics.
Analyzing SEO and keyword optimization to enhance content visibility.
Brainstorming new story ideas.
Internal ideation and drafts of images.
Image enhancement.
Captioning

Data Analysis

Analyzing user behavior, engagement metrics, and campaign performance to refine strategies.
Conducting A/B testing simulations or forecasting trends.
Analyzing website coding, debugging an issue, automating tasks, or recommending different approaches.

Automation of Routine Tasks

Scheduling social media posts or emails.
Organizing and categorizing content for easy access and reuse.
Automating project requests.

Customer Interaction

Implementing AI chatbots for basic customer service and FAQs.
Personalizing communications based on user data, e.g., segmentation and recommendations.

Accessibility Improvements

Using AI tools for captioning videos, translating content, or ensuring Americans with Disabilities Act compliance in digital assets.

There may be other uses of generative AI not mentioned here that enhance creativity, productivity, and efficiency; however, the use of generative AI and newer technologies and tools should always adhere to the intent of acceptable use as presented in these standards.

Prohibited Uses of AI

The following AI applications, to maintain ethical standards, are strictly prohibited:

Deceptive Practices
- Using AI to generate fake reviews, testimonials, or endorsements.
- Manipulating images or videos in a manner that misrepresents the institution or its offerings.
Academic Misrepresentation
- Creating AI-generated student success stories, faculty quotes, or other fabricated narratives.
Sensitive Information
- Inputting personal, proprietary, or confidential data into AI systems, especially if the platform lacks robust security or clear data usage policies.
Unsupervised Content Generation
- Publishing AI-generated content without human review and approval to ensure facts are checked, accurate, appropriate, and in alignment with brand voice.
Violation of Laws or Policies
- Using AI tools in ways that infringe on intellectual property rights, privacy laws, or institutional policies.
- AI-generated images, music, audio and video should not be used as the legality of this practice is not certain at this time.
College Trademarks and Images
- Generative AI should not be used to modify or alter a college trademark or other official images of the college, including its mascot, without the express permission of the Casper College Strategic Communications and Marketing Department.
Responsibilities
- Casper College Strategic Communications and Marketing staff: Ensure AI-generated outputs are reviewed for accuracy, ethical considerations, and compliance with institutional values.
- Supervisors: Provide oversight and approve AI usage in high-visibility projects or sensitive campaigns.

For questions or assistance, contact the Casper College Strategic Communications and Marketing department at pr@caspercollege.edu.

Definitions

Generative AI refers to artificial intelligence systems that create new content, such as text, images, music, or code, based on patterns learned from large datasets. These models use machine learning techniques, such as deep learning and neural networks, to generate human-like outputs.
Remixing – Taking existing copyrighted content and altering it creatively, often by combining multiple elements into a new work. This is common in music, video editing, and digital art but may still require permission or fall under fair use.
Repurposing – Using copyrighted material in a new way or for a different purpose than originally intended.
Scraping – The process of extracting data or content from a website, document, or digital source, often using automated tools or scripts.
Note: AI assisted in the creation of these standards and the application of an ethical framework.