How Empower Schools Communications Uses AI

Introduction

We are human first, we stand behind every word, and we are accountable for the work.

AI can help us organize, edit, research, and produce, but it cannot take responsibility for what we say or how our work affects people.

At Empower Schools, we use AI to make thoughtful work more efficient, not to replace the people responsible for it. We originate our ideas and drafts. Designers create our visual work. We verify every source ourselves. A member of our team reviews and stands behind every final product.

This page explains the current practices of the Empower Schools Communications team. Empower Schools’ organization-wide values for AI-assisted work are set out separately in AI for Empowerment.

Writing and content

We develop the strategy, point of view, substance, and initial drafts of our work.

AI may help us edit, organize, tighten, clarify, reformat, pressure-test, or identify gaps in material we have created. It does not determine what Empower Schools believes, what we recommend, or what we publish.

A member of our team reviews, edits, and approves every final communication. We do not publish or send unreviewed AI output.

Research and sources

AI may assist with research by helping us identify questions, search terms, potential sources, or connections among information.

AI is never treated as a source. We locate, open, review, and verify the original source ourselves before using a fact, claim, quote, number, or citation. We never cite a source we have not verified ourselves.

If we cannot verify a claim, we do not publish it.

Design and creative

Our visual work reflects the judgment and craft of professional designers. This includes work created for Empower Schools and creative work we develop for the organizations and initiatives we support.

We do not use AI-generated images, artwork, photography, logos, brand marks, or visual treatments as final creative.

If a client or partner provides or suggests an AI-generated image, artwork, or treatment, we may consider it as inspiration or brainstorming material. A designer then creates a new product using independent judgment, approved source materials, and the appropriate brand standards.

Every original logo, brand mark, and visual identity created by Empower Schools, whether for Empower Schools or for an organization or initiative we support, is created by a designer, not generated by AI.

Before publishing photography, we verify that it depicts real people and that Empower Schools or the contributing partner has permission or appropriate rights to use it. We do not use AI-generated photography to represent real students, educators, partners, or communities.

AI may also help us write code for websites and digital tools, but we define the requirements and test the result for functionality, accessibility, and privacy before launch.

Review and accountability

AI may support the process. People remain responsible for the product.

Before work is published or shared, a responsible owner reviews its:

• Purpose and audience
• Strategy and point of view
• Factual accuracy and source support
• Length, clarity, and value to the reader
• Accessibility
• Brand alignment
• Privacy and permissions
• Final quality

Higher-risk work, including policy claims, executive communications, crisis communications, consequential recommendations, and data-heavy materials, receives additional review appropriate to the risk.