Advanced · Ethics and society · module 150 of 155
Project lesson: an AI statement for your organisation
Write a clear, honest statement on how your organisation uses AI, for staff, customers and partners.
After this lesson
You write a public AI statement with concrete applications, limits, human oversight and a contact point, and test it against practice.
In view · How it connects
An AI position statement that is accurate
What AI is and is not used for, and where a human decides.
Sentences someone can check, proofread by staff.
Reviewed every year, and straight after a new application or an incident.
Part 1 of 3 · Concrete
Your preference for less movement is on. Choose each part yourself.
Why a statement?
Customers, citizens and staff want to know whether and how your organisation uses AI. A short, public statement makes that clear and builds trust (lessons 84 and 129). It is something different from your internal policy (lesson 118): the policy says what staff may do, the statement tells the outside world what you do and what you stand for. Both must, however, be consistent with each other and with practice.
What goes in it
State concretely what you use AI for, for example draft texts or sorting questions, and what you do not use it for, for example decisions about customers. Explain where a person checks and decides. Say how you handle data and refer to your privacy statement (lesson 117). Mention how you deal with the tasks and the people in your organisation (lesson 146), and how you take sustainability and copyright into account (lessons 147 and 148). End with a contact point for questions and complaints.
Honest, verifiable and living
Do not promise anything you cannot deliver: “our AI is error-free” or “we always use AI responsibly” says nothing or is untrue. Write sentences that someone can check. Have the statement reviewed by staff who work with AI: does it match what they do every day? For new applications, first work through an ethical assessment (lesson 149). Review the statement at least once a year, and immediately after a new application or an incident.
New practice example
From explanation to a usable result.
An AI position statement tells the outside world what your organisation does and does not do with AI, in sentences that anyone can check.
Fictional practice situationFictional: a first version of an online shop’s position statement says: “We embrace innovation and use AI ethically for the best customer experience.”
View a possible solution
This is how it can be done
More concrete: “Our chatbot answers questions about delivery and returns based on our FAQ. You can always ask for a member of staff. Decisions about refunds are made by a member of staff. Questions about our use of AI? Email klantendienst@voorbeeld.be.”
Why this works
Every sentence now describes something customers can experience and verify. That builds more trust than fine words.
Make it slightly more difficult
Which sentence in your own statement would you have to adjust if a new AI application started tomorrow?
Extra practice, at your own pace. You do not need to submit anything. This does not count towards an automatic assessment.
Your workplace · learning by doing
Make something. See what changes.
Checking the AI connection… You can already view the written example.
Present your assignment to Ende.
Read the answer, change one thing, and compare.
Previously held
New version
You remain in control
What do you want to improve in your next attempt?
On this device only. AI answers remain only in this page memory. This is self-review, not a grade.
Why this approach works
Every sentence now describes something customers can experience and verify. That builds more trust than fine words.
A step further
Which sentence in your own statement would you have to adjust if a new AI application started tomorrow?
Try & discover · no obligation
Become the source checker yourself
Only mark statements that the source does not support. Then check your selection.
Fictional draft of an AI position statement for a non-profit (vzw) that supports families.
Select which sentences you would correct above. The answer remains hidden until you check your selection.
This trial works locally with fictitious data and does not count towards your lesson completion. It starts anew with a new lesson or reload.
A prompt to get you started
Help me write an AI statement of at most 300 words for a fictional non-profit (vzw) that supports families. We use AI for draft texts and for summarising internal meetings, not for decisions about families. Include: what we do and do not use it for, human oversight, data, staff and a contact point. Do not use promises that we cannot check.
Apply it
Your organisation’s AI position statement says AI “never” works with customer data. A survey reveals that customer service uses an AI tool to summarise customer emails.
Which approach best fits this situation?
- Bring position and practice into line: adjust the practice, or describe honestly what happens and under what conditions, and check the data agreements.
- Leave the position statement as it is; customers don’t read it anyway.
- Don’t discuss the survey any further.
With JavaScript, you can check your approach and receive immediate feedback.
Test your insight
Which sentence fits best in an honest AI statement?
- Our AI is 100% reliable.
- We use AI for draft texts; a staff member reviews everything before we send it.
- We use AI in a responsible way.
Extra practice
Write an AI statement for your own organisation or a fictional organisation. Have two staff members check whether every sentence matches practice.
“At our non-profit, we use AI to create first drafts of texts and to summarise internal meetings. A staff member reviews everything before it is used. We do not use AI to make decisions about support for families; our support workers always do that. Data on families never goes into AI tools that have not been approved for that purpose. Questions or concerns? Email info@voorbeeld.be.” During the review, it turned out that a colleague also used AI for translations; that is now in the statement.
