M&C AI Guidelines

The New School has developed guidance for Generative AI that applies to all administrative staff. The Marketing and Communication (M&C) artificial intelligence guidelines below are intended to supplement that guidance for marketing and communications purposes.

Artificial intelligence(AI) refers to software or machines that exhibit abilities usually associated with human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, making decisions, and solving complex problems. The following guiding principles can serve as a compass for navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology as it applies to marketing and communications.

Responsible AI Usage

AI technologies can be used to streamline processes, activities, and tasks. At the same time, they introduce security risks for staff members and the university itself. We must be mindful in offering data to AI platforms and do our part to protect the work of scholars and artists connected to The New School and the larger Internet community. And since results generated by AI are built upon work, data, and information produced by humans, we must understand the origins of the data. Marketing and Communication values freedom of expression while striving to protect privacy and provide responsible work attribution. Although M&C encourages approved usage of AI, it should never replace our human-centered approach. AI tools cannot simulate human reasoning, especially concerning moral and ethical matters. We advocate for responsible AI usage through critical self-governance and accountability.

AI & Sustainability

As a university with sustainability at the core of what we do, we recognize the impact our usage of technology has on the planet.

AI is one of the most powerful technologies ever created, but that computational power involves a tremendous environmental impact. Using an LLM to generate a 100-word email, for example, uses the equivalent of one bottle of water—not to mention the staggering amount of electricity used to train and operate the model. As we face the realities of the climate crisis, it is clear that our AI usage is connected to our individual carbon footprints. However, embracing the use of new technologies is also of major importance to The New School. To encourage responsible, sustainable usage of AI, our committee recommends the following practices:

• Educate yourself on the environmental impacts of AI, starting with the materials below.
• Use AI intentionally by developing your own writing skills and limiting your use of AI to situations where it is truly needed.
• When working in groups, designate one team member to use AI; there is no need for multiple team members to access it.
• Use research tools available through the university library, which may provide more broad-ranging and comprehensive results than those produced by AI tools.
• Check this page periodically for updates on AI use, sustainability, and best practices.

Developing & Implementing These Guidelines

The M&C Guidelines on AI usage have been researched, designed, and written for use by those who do the work of our department. This includes department members, administrators, staff, educators, and vendors responsible for creating marketing and communication materials that align with the university's brand identity. A department-wide committee created the guidelines to define responsible AI usage by Marketing and Communication at The New School. 

If you plan to use AI technologies for marketing or communication purposes or require a consultation, please contact Kyle Hansen at hansenk@newschool.edu.

Like other departments of The New School, M&C adheres to the guidelines for responsible AI usage established by the university's IT department. For more information about approved AI tools, steps for preserving privacy (including the use of AI in relation to FERPA regulations), and responsible practices, review the guidelines in Guru, the university knowledge base.

Reminders as You Use AI Tools

• Ensure that people review AI output. People must evaluate, fact-check, edit, and document all AI-generated content before using it in their professional work. Users must protect the values of our brand by employing judgment and reason and providing context.
• Be transparent about AI usage internally. M&C encourages the responsible use of AI tools, including transparency about how the tools are being used. Use citations when the AI tool requires them, and ensure they are complete and formatted correctly.
• Respect people's privacy. Before AI technology is used to summarize and record meetings and other proceedings, consent must be obtained from all participants. Transcripts and summaries produced by AI should be evaluated and reviewed by the individual responsible for enabling the AI agent.
• Monitor output for bias. Biased prompts can generate biased responses, just as biased data set training can create a biased AI agent. AI tools sometimes generate biased results, especially when using data based on widespread assumptions and norms. All users must monitor for and eliminate bias in prompts and results.
• Adhere to university policies. AI tools should never be used in any way that would violate university standards or policies. Two policies that must be reviewed are the Acceptable Use Policy and the Standard for Information and System Classification.

Usage Scenarios

The following scenarios illustrate appropriate and inappropriate usage of AI in each content creation area.