myBama
Division of Strategic Communications

Guidelines for Appropriate Use of AI Generated Media

InfoNOTICE

These guidelines will be regularly reviewed and updated to reflect advancements in generative AI technologies and best practices. Users should anticipate adjustments as the landscape of AI continues to evolve.

If you have questions about the use of an AI tool for communications or creative purposes, contact Kyle Fondren – kyle.fondren@ua.edu

Core Principles

  1. Authenticity and Credibility

    As a public research institution, it is essential that the communications and media we produce be authentic, truthful, and serve the public interest.    

  2. Security, Privacy and Compliance

    Protecting sensitive institutional/personal information from exposure to external systems and compliance with all federal, state, and local law is critical.

  3. Protection of UA Brand and Intellectual Property

    Use of AI technologies should enhance brand storytelling and visual identity, not alter it.

Content Guidelines

Do not publish unedited AI-generated material as a standalone finished deliverable.

AI-generated or assisted content is subject to the same branding, factual accuracy, and style requirements as any other UA-produced media or literature.

No AI-generated material should be published as representative of a real UA place, person, or thing.

Never use AI-generated content in contexts that imply it is an accurate or authoritative representation of specific individuals, buildings, campus landmarks, historical moments, or university-endorsed activities.

Examples:

  • If generative AI content depicting UA traditions, such as commencement ceremonies or sporting events, is ever created for illustrative purposes, it must be clearly labeled as AI-generated, illustrative, or speculative only.
  • Do not publish AI-generated portraits of UA students, faculty/staff, athletes, or administrators.
  • Avoid using AI-generated images or videos of iconic campus landmarks, such as Denny Chimes or Bryant-Denny Stadium, in official promotional materials.

Do not use AI tools to change the context of a photograph or video.

Altering visual content to misrepresent its original meaning is misleading and unethical. AI tools should never be used to add, remove, or reposition elements in photographs or videos in ways that distort their factual or historical accuracy.

Examples:

  • Do not add or remove people from event photographs to imply attendance or absence.
  • Do not alter campus imagery to suggest facilities, features, or contexts that do not exist.
  • Avoid using AI tools to fabricate visual scenarios, such as falsely depicting interactions between individuals.

Do not use AI image or video generators to replicate UA brand marks such as The Script A, University of Alabama wordmarks, unit identifiers.

UA brand marks are carefully regulated to maintain their integrity and consistency. Never use AI tools to reproduce, alter, or mimic official University logos, wordmarks, or identifiers. All uses of these assets must adhere strictly to established branding guidelines.

Examples:

  • Do not generate alternative versions of The Script A or other UA logos using AI tools.
  • Avoid creating speculative or stylized versions of official University identifiers.
  • Ensure all brand marks included in official materials are obtained directly from approved UA resources.

Clearly disclose the use of AI-generated content when published.

Transparency is required when using AI-generated materials. Any published content generated or substantially influenced* by AI should include an explicit disclosure, clearly visible to the audience.

Examples:

  • Label AI-generated illustrations or visuals with a brief disclaimer.
  • Note when summaries or reports are produced with AI assistance.
  • * AI assisted minor edits that are similar to what can be achieved through traditional digital photo editing tools (white balance, color rebalance, etc.)

Example Disclaimer:

Cybernetic elephant looking at a laptop computer (AI generated)
  • Context: As a caption beneath an AI generated image of an elephant covered in circuitry for a UA cybersecurity news story.
  • Disclaimer: Generative AI tools were used to create this image.

Do not input confidential, protected, or sensitive UA information into generative AI tools.

Generative AI tools may store or repurpose data provided as input if the appropriate data protection settings are not enabled. Never upload proprietary, confidential, student, personnel, or protected information into any AI tool without explicit approval, or certainty of the presence of data protection settings.

Examples:

  • Do not upload student records, grades, or identifiable data into AI tools.
  • Avoid inputting drafts of unpublished research, strategic documents, or proprietary UA data.

Do not rely exclusively on AI-generated accessibility features without human review.

While AI can assist in creating accessible content, human oversight remains necessary. Always review AI-generated alt-text, captions, and transcriptions to ensure accuracy and appropriateness for all users.

Examples:

  • Manually verify AI-generated captions for accuracy before publishing videos.
  • Edit AI-generated alt-text for images to accurately reflect context and relevance.

Use AI tools responsibly and ethically, in alignment with UA’s values.

AI-generated materials must reflect and support UA’s commitment to integrity and ethical conduct. Never use generative AI tools to create misleading, biased, harmful, or discriminatory content.