AI Usage Guidelines for Marketing & Communication

The following use cases apply primarily to university employees with official graphic design responsibilities. Other employees should not use AI to design public-facing assets.

Purpose & Philosophy

The university supports and encourages the responsible and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in marketing and communications activities. AI tools and AI-assisted systems can improve efficiency, support creativity, enhance accessibility and assist with analysis, planning and workflow management.

These guidelines are intended to encourage responsible innovation while protecting the university’s reputation, institutional trust, data, brand identity and legal obligations.

AI should augment — not replace — human creativity, judgment and accountability. Individuals creating content or managing marketing and/or communications on behalf of the university remain responsible for the accuracy, quality, accessibility and appropriateness of all materials and workflows, regardless of the tools used during development.

Because AI technologies continue to evolve rapidly, these guidelines are intended to provide practical guardrails rather than rigid technical rules.

Scope

These guidelines apply to all university employees, student workers, freelancers, agencies and contractors officially creating or managing marketing and communications content or related workflows on behalf of the university. Other employees should not use AI to create public-facing assets.

These guidelines apply but are not limited to:

Generative AI tools (filters, extensions, plug-ins, etc.)
Agentic AI systems
AI-enabled automation platforms
Public and enterprise AI systems
Free and paid AI tools
Text, image, audio and video-generation systems
AI-assisted analysis, personalization and workflow tools

These guidelines supplement any existing university policies and standards related to:

Brand and visual identity
Accessibility
FERPA and data privacy
Information security
Copyright and intellectual property
Procurement and vendor management
Digital communications and social media

They are intended to complement — not replace — university-wide AI, information security, data governance and procurement policies. In the event of any conflict, university policy governs. A list of resources can be found at the end of this document.

Appropriate, Restricted & Prohibited Uses

These guidelines should serve as a general, overarching framework for responsible AI usage across marketing and communications activities.

Additional functional-area guidance and use-case recommendations will be provided separately for areas such as social media, web and digital content, creative services, photography and video and strategic marketing. Such resources will support the practical application of these guidelines within specific functions.

Appropriate Uses

In general, AI tools may be used for appropriate low- to moderate-risk communications activities, including:

Brainstorming and ideation
Drafting copy
Creating outlines and summaries
SEO and metadata support
Campaign planning assistance
Social media drafting
Storyboarding and concept exploration
Captioning and transcription
Translation and readability support
Accessibility assistance
Research summarization
Workflow organization and productivity support
Non-deceptive image enhancement (to improve technical image quality)

Public-facing marketing and communications represent the university’s brand and must be developed under the direction of qualified communications and marketing professionals. Generative AI may support approved creative production workflows, but it does not replace professional communications expertise or existing review and approval requirements.

These examples do not authorize university employees without official, assigned communications or marketing responsibilities to create public-facing marketing or communications materials.

Uses Requiring Additional Review

Some AI-assisted activities may create elevated legal, reputational, accessibility, privacy or operational risks and may require by unit-level leadership.

Examples include:

Public-facing AI chatbots
Synthetic voice generation
AI-assisted personalization using sensitive data
Autonomous or semi-autonomous publishing systems
AI-triggered communications workflows
Executive or crisis communications
AI systems connected to institutional databases, CRMs or communications platforms

Prohibited Uses

The following activities are generally prohibited unless specifically authorized:

Uploading confidential or protected institutional information into unapproved public AI systems
Entering FERPA-protected student information into public AI tools
Publishing AI-generated public-facing communications that have not been developed under the direction of qualified communications and marketing professionals
Creating deceptive or misleading synthetic media
Allowing AI systems to autonomously publish high-risk institutional communications without human approval checkpoints
Creating fabricated testimonials, quotes or student experiences presented as authentic
Using AI-generated materials that violate copyright, trademark or licensing requirements
Impersonating individuals without authorization
Circumventing university approval, procurement or security-review processes
Representing a real person, place or thing via AI-generated images or video
Replicating university brand marks (e.g., logos, wordmarks, identifiers) via AI image or video generators
Creating finished public-facing marketing or communications materials without the direction and approval of qualified university communications or marketing professionals, including materials produced primarily through generative AI

Human Oversight & Accountability

All AI-assisted public-facing communications must be developed under the direction of qualified communications and marketing professionals, who remain responsible for creative direction, editorial decisions, brand compliance and final approval.

Individuals using AI remain responsible for verifying factual accuracy, ensuring brand and strategic alignment, reviewing accessibility and inclusivity considerations and applying appropriate legal, ethical and strategic judgment before publication or implementation.

AI-generated content should never be assumed to be accurate, unbiased or publication-ready, and institutional claims or other factual information must be independently verified before use.

The individual or department approving content or workflows remains accountable for the final outcome.

Brand & Reputation Protection

All AI-assisted communications must align with established:

Brand standards
Editorial voice and tone
Messaging framework
Visual identity systems
Institutional values

Communicators should ensure AI-generated content:

Uses accurate and verifiable institutional information
Reflects appropriate tone and positioning
Avoids exaggerated or misleading claims
Supports authentic storytelling
Maintains public trust and credibility

Whenever possible, the university should prioritize authentic photography, verified stories and genuine community experiences.

Responsibility for protecting the university’s brand rests with qualified communications and marketing professionals. AI does not delegate or transfer that responsibility.

Data Privacy & Confidentiality

Users must follow the university’s official data classification and AI usage policies when determining what information may be entered into AI systems. A list of resources can be found at the of this document.

Confidential, protected or sensitive university information must not be entered into public AI systems unless specifically authorized and protected through approved institutional agreements.

Restricted types of information include, but are not limited to:

FERPA-protected student information
Admissions and financial aid data
Personnel information
Donor information
Confidential strategies or research
Contracts and legal documents
Budget information
Internal planning materials

Specific examples of information that should not be uploaded into public AI systems include:

Student lists containing identifiable information
Employee evaluations
Donor giving histories
Internal financial spreadsheets
Signed agreements
Confidential institutional presentations

University-approved enterprise AI platforms with appropriate contractual protections should be used whenever possible for institutional work.

Copyright, Intellectual Property & Licensing

Communicators and marketers are responsible for ensuring AI-assisted content complies with copyright, trademark, licensing and intellectual property requirements.

Because legal standards surrounding AI-generated materials continue to evolve, users should exercise caution when using generated text, imagery, audio or video for public-facing or commercial purposes.

Communicators should:

Review platform licensing terms
Verify commercial-use permissions
Respect trademark and licensing restrictions
Avoid closely imitating identifiable artists, photographers, designers or creators
Ensure generated assets comply with university brand standards

AI should support original creative development rather than replicate another creator’s recognizable style or work.

Transparency, Disclosure & Authentic Representation

Disclosure of AI usage should follow any related university policies (see the Related Resources section at the end of this document) and should be evaluated based on audience expectations, content type and reputational considerations.

Routine drafting assistance generally does not require disclosure.

The university prioritizes authentic photography, genuine community experiences and truthful representation of campus life, people and events in institutional marketing and communications.

The use of AI-generated photography, video, synthetic people, synthetic voice, AI-generated spokespersons or simulated events in official university marketing and communications materials is generally prohibited unless specifically approved by divisional-level leadership and aligned with institutional standards for authenticity, transparency and audience trust.

Additional use-case guidance may further define acceptable and prohibited uses of AI-assisted photography, videography, audio production and creative development workflows.

Accessibility, Inclusion & Bias

AI tools may support accessibility and inclusive communications efforts through:

Caption generation
Alt-text drafting
Translation assistance
Readability improvements
Language simplification
Transcription support

However, AI-generated outputs may contain bias, stereotypes, inaccuracies or accessibility issues. Communicators and marketers are responsible for reviewing AI-assisted materials to ensure they are:

Inclusive
Accessible
Respectful
Culturally appropriate

AI-generated translations should receive human review, especially when nuance or accuracy is important.

Platform & Tool Governance

Employees must follow general university policies regarding approved AI platforms, data classifications and permitted data usage. Similarly, all AI-related purchases, subscriptions, integrations and vendor engagements must follow university procurement and IT review requirements.

Responsible experimentation and innovation are encouraged, provided it does not create institutional, legal, accessibility, operational or reputational risk.

Ethical Principles

The university’s use of AI in marketing and communications should remain guided by the following principles:

Qualified communications and marketing professionals remain responsible for the university’s public-facing communications, regardless of whether AI tools are used during development.
Communications and marketing should be factual, verifiable and responsibly reviewed.
AI usage should support trust, credibility and informed audience engagement.
AI should be used responsibly in ways that preserve trust and that are in alignment with institutional values.
AI-assisted communications should support accessibility, belonging and respectful representation.
Sensitive institutional information should remain protected.
AI-generated materials should reflect the university’s established visual identity and brand standards.
Innovation should be balanced with sound judgment and institutional accountability.

Related Resources

Questions? Clarification?

Questions related to these guidelines may be addressed to marketing@tcu.edu .