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Artificial Intelligence Guidelines for Members      (Jun 2026)
ICD-41
Governance Reviewed N/A


Optimist International Policy ICD-41

AI Guidelines for Members

The AI Guidelines for Members are intended to help Optimist members and staff use artificial intelligence (AI) tools responsibly, ethically, and in alignment with Optimist International's (OI) mission and values. These guidelines provide practical information on appropriate use of AI, privacy, and brand protection.

If you're unsure whether a specific use of AI is appropriate, please write - Headquarters@optimist.org

Purpose

Optimist International (OI) encourages the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the mission of clubs and districts. OI uses AI ethically by ensuring our usage aligns with our mission and values, by promoting environmental sustainability and supporting community economic development, and by advancing other areas of focus through responsible and fair AI practices.

These guidelines help members and staff use AI ethically, protect sensitive information, and uphold OI's reputation.

1. Definitions

Artificial Intelligence (AI) A computer system that can generate text, images, or recommendations based on patterns it has learned. AI tools include chatbots, voice assistants, writing helpers, and image generators.
Generative AI A type of AI that creates new content - such as written text, images, audio, or video - based on a prompt or question you type. Examples include ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, and Claude.
AI Notetaker A software tool (such as Otter.ai, Fireflies, or a Zoom/Teams built-in feature) that automatically joins a meeting, records audio, and produces a written transcript or summary.
AI Tool Any software application or online service that uses AI to help you complete a task - including writing assistants, translation tools, image creators, and scheduling helpers.
PII (Personal Information) Any information that can identify a specific person, such as their name, address, phone number, email, membership ID, photo, or financial details. PII must always be handled with care.
AI Hallucination When an AI tool confidently produces information that is simply wrong - made-up facts, fake quotes, or incorrect data that sounds plausible. Always verify what AI tells you.

2. Appropriate Use of AI

Members and staff may use AI tools for non-confidential, public-facing work, including but not limited to:

  • Drafting social media posts
  • Writing public newsletters or event invitations
  • Preparing presentations or talking points
  • Analyzing publicly available data
  • Generating creative ideas for projects and outreach
  • Translating public or non-confidential content into other languages, while ensuring that translations reflect OI's values and are both culturally and contextually appropriate

Important Reminder:

Always review AI-generated content before using it. AI can make mistakes, produce inaccurate facts, or create content that does not reflect Optimist International's values. You are responsible for the final product.

3. Commitment to Ethical and Fair AI Practices

Ethical AI practices further the truth, increase fairness, build goodwill, and benefit all. OI is committed to ethical, fair, and responsible AI practices.

Using AI to increase our impact: Use AI to further OI's mission and values and increase our impact globally in our areas of focus.

Human-centered decision making: AI should augment, empower, and enhance human decision making - not replace it.

Increasing equity: Use AI to further an equitable society, not create new inequities through biased content or decision making.

Using sustainable AI tools: Use AI tools from providers committed to ethical, fair, and socially responsible practices, including providers that value environmental sustainability.

Promoting responsible AI use: Encourage and model the use of ethical and fair AI practices.

Being transparent about AI's effects: Be open about both the positive and negative effects of AI - especially its social, economic, and environmental impacts - to build trust and communicate OI's purpose as a humanitarian organization.

4. Confidentiality of OI Information

Never input private, confidential, or sensitive information into AI tools. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Personal data (such as names, contact details, or photos) without explicit permission
  • Club administration records (for example, records from district or club databases)
  • Financial records, budgets, or dues information
  • Donor information, including specific contribution amounts, giving history, and recognition levels
  • Grant applications or details, Cadre of Technical Advisers evaluation reports, or audit letters
  • Information about community participants or partners involved in OI projects or grants, unless they have given informed consent for how their data will be used
  • International, District or Club Foundation information
  • Contracts or agreements

When you use generative AI tools, any data you enter - including private details about participants, donors, or community partners - may be stored, analyzed, and used to train AI systems. This compromises privacy, community trust, and OI's ethical commitment to responsible data stewardship.

5. Data Privacy

Never share personally identifiable information (PII) without consent. Here are some data privacy considerations for AI tools:

  • When possible, use a licensed version of a generative AI service with terms and conditions that explicitly prohibit using your data - private or otherwise - to train or refine the tool's model.
  • Turn off chat history or similar features in the settings of AI tools when possible. This helps prevent your content from being stored or used to train the AI system.
  • Assume that any information entered into a free or unlicensed AI tool may be stored, accessed, or analyzed by the provider.
  • Avoid using AI tools as a host to record or transcribe meetings that include private or sensitive topics.
  • Be aware when participants in meetings add AI note taking. If AI note taking isn't appropriate for the meeting topic, politely ask that it be disabled, or hold the meeting on a platform that doesn't allow AI note taking. This preserves privacy and promotes engagement during live sessions. When an event is recorded, people with access to the recording might still use AI later for note taking assistance.

Entering personal or confidential information into external AI services may carry legal risks. Under the applicable national or regional data protection laws, providing personal or sensitive data to third-party AI platforms may constitute a violation of privacy regulations. These actions could result in penalties, administrative sanctions, or reputational harm, depending on the nature and severity of the breach.

If in doubt, don't upload it.

6. Data Security

Here are some data security recommendations for AI tools:

  • Use AI tools only on secure, trusted networks - not public Wi-Fi. Whenever possible, use a virtual private network (VPN) for an added layer of protection.
  • Review privacy and sharing settings to ensure OI data isn't exposed or made public.
  • Use strong passwords and enable multifactor authentication whenever available.
  • Do not enable any AI plug-ins or extensions within productivity applications - such as email, calendar, messaging, document, or project management tools - that may access or share OI data or that can automatically join and transcribe meetings.

7. Protection of Intellectual Property

Just because information is accessible online - whether on Optimist.org or any other website - does not mean it is free for any use, including use with AI tools. Publicly available content may still be protected by copyright, trademark, or privacy laws, or it may be subject to specific terms of use. Respect privacy, permissions, and OI's policies by always checking the source for restrictions before using any online content with AI tools.

Follow these rules:

  • Do not upload OI's logos, branded content, or other intellectual property into AI tools without explicit permission from OI. This includes logos, images, photos, videos, articles, and other materials from the OI database, OI publications, or OI websites. It also includes club and district logos.
  • Do not use AI to create OI-branded logos, graphics, or other trademarked materials.
  • Do not generate content that mimics a specific individual's likeness or creative style without permission.
  • Follow OI's brand guidelines if you use AI to create club or district materials (such as event flyers or social media posts). You may add your club or district logo to the AI-generated materials you create, but do not use AI to alter your club or district logo, use AI to generate any OI logos, or upload the logo into the AI tool for other uses.
  • All use of OI logos needs to comply with OI's licensing and branding guidelines.
  • Do not name AI tools (such as chatbots or virtual assistants) in a way that implies OI endorsement, official status, or organizational authority. All naming needs to comply with OI's trademark and branding policies. Any use of the word "Optimist," " the OI logo, or other OI trademarks or service marks to name or represent an AI tool needs a clear identifier of the sponsoring club or district and cannot suggest the tool is operated or endorsed by Optimist International.

8. Photos, Videos, and Likenesses

Do not upload identifiable photos or videos of members, volunteers, beneficiaries, participants, partners, or any other individuals into AI systems unless you have their explicit permission. This prohibition includes likenesses of Optimist-affiliated individuals and leaders.

Do not use AI to create, alter, animate, or otherwise manipulate images that imitate or utilize a person's likeness (including deepfakes, composites, or synthetic images) without explicit consent.

For minors or sensitive contexts, always obtain written approval from a guardian or anyone necessary before uploading or using images in AI tools.

9. Data Accuracy and Bias

AI content can be wrong, biased, or incomplete. Always fact-check AI-generated material before sharing, and verify that any external sources cited by AI are trustworthy.

10. AI Notetakers in Meetings

AI notetaking tools (such as Otter.ai, Fireflies, Microsoft Copilot, or Zoom's built-in AI summary feature) can be helpful - but they also record and store everything said in a meeting. This creates significant privacy risks, especially when sensitive topics are discussed.

When AI Notetakers Are Appropriate

  • Public or general meetings where no sensitive, confidential, or personal information will be discussed
  • Committee working sessions focused on program planning, event logistics, or public communications - where all participants are aware and have consented
  • Training sessions or informational webinars where content is intended to be shared broadly
  • One-on-one conversations between staff where both parties have agreed to recording

When AI Notetakers Must NOT Be Used

  • Any meeting that will include discussion of individual member information (e.g., membership issues, personal circumstances)
  • Meetings discussing donor identities, gift amounts, or giving history
  • Governance or board meetings where confidential organizational matters are discussed
  • Meetings involving youth participants or their guardians
  • Any session where a participant has not given consent to being recorded
  • Interviews, disciplinary discussions, or sensitive personnel matters
  • Meetings involving legal matters, contracts, or financial details

11. Disclosure of AI Use

Be open and honest about using AI when creating OI content. Disclosure means clearly communicating when and how AI tools have been used so that audiences understand the role of AI in the final product.

Provide disclosure when AI tools play a significant role in developing content, such as generating text, images, or designs - not necessarily for minor edits or formatting assistance.

When appropriate, label AI-generated or AI-assisted materials. Examples of clear disclosure statements include:

  • Generated with AI assistance
  • Created using AI tools
  • AI-generated content - verified by human reviewer

AI should support, not replace, the judgment and creativity of OI participants.

12. Questions

If you're unsure whether AI use is appropriate, write to the Optimist International at Headquarters@optimist.org



( Jun 2026 )