Artificial Intelligence (AI) Content Policy

Policy

As an institution of higher learning, the University of Louisville is committed to authenticity in all brand communications. Consistent with our brand personality and core value of vitality, UofL holds that genuine human creativity, expertise and perspective are the foundation of trustworthy institutional communication.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools to produce content representing the University of Louisville, including but not limited to images, video, audio, copy, illustrations, logos or composite work, is prohibited in university marketing and advertising materials across all channels and all units. 

This policy applies to faculty, staff, students, vendors and any third-party producing content that uses UofL's name, marks, identity or other brand elements.

AI-generated content raises significant legal, ethical and reputational concerns that this policy is designed to prevent. Units and individuals who use AI-generated content in violation of this policy may expose themselves and the university to legal liability, including claims of copyright infringement, false advertising and violations of third-party intellectual property rights.

Questions about this policy or requests for exceptions should be directed to the university creative director at branding@louisville.edu.

Rationale

The adoption of generative AI tools across campus has created inconsistency in the quality and authenticity of content produced under UofL's name. This policy exists to:

• Protect the integrity of the UofL brand and ensure all communications accurately represent the university's people, places and programs in a trust-building, high-quality manner
• Prevent the university from publishing content that misrepresents campus life, student experience or institutional values
• Ensure compliance with applicable copyright, intellectual property and consumer protection law
• Align brand communications with UofL's Information Technology Services guidance
• Protect the university from reputational and financial harm resulting from the unauthorized or unvetted use of AI-generated content

Prohibited Uses

The following are prohibited in any UofL-branded marketing or advertising material, on any channel, produced by any unit, affiliate, vendor or individual acting on behalf of the university:

• AI-generated photography or photorealistic imagery used to represent UofL's campus, students, faculty, staff, athletes, events or facilities
• AI-generated video used in promotional, recruitment or advertising contexts
• AI-generated written copy used as final or published marketing or advertising content, including website copy, social media posts, brochures, email campaigns and scripts
• AI-generated illustrations, icons or graphic/visual elements incorporated into UofL brand materials
• AI-generated likenesses of real individuals, including students, employees, athletes or public figures without explicit written consent
• AI-generated UofL logos, wordmarks or seal variations of any kind (academic and athletic)
• Fan-created or third-party content that uses AI to generate imagery using UofL's marks, logos, colors or identity elements whether or not it is submitted for official use

Implications

The use of AI-generated content in institutional communications carries meaningful risk. Depending on the tool, the content and its application, violations may implicate copyright law, third-party intellectual property rights, consumer protection regulations, right-of-publicity statutes, or the terms of service governing the AI platform itself. Because the legal landscape surrounding generative AI is still developing, the university's exposure in any given situation may not be fully known at the time content is produced. 

This policy reflects a precautionary standard appropriate to that uncertainty and will be updated as needed.

Definitions

• Generative AI refers to any artificial intelligence system capable of producing original content (including text, images, video, audio) in response to a user prompt. This includes, but is not limited to, large language models, image synthesis tools, video generation platforms and audio synthesis systems.
• AI-generated content means any output produced primarily by a generative AI system, regardless of the degree of human editing or post-processing applied after generation.
• UofL brand communications means any material that uses the University of Louisville name, marks, seal, logos, colors or other identity elements to represent the institution or any of its units, programs or affiliates. More information

Approved Tools

For reference, ITS maintains a current list of AI tools and their status relative to university-approved use. 

Use of any AI tool for university brand communications purposes, even an approved or licensed tool, remains subject to the prohibitions outlined above.

Procedures & Exceptions

Appropriate uses of UofL AI-generated content exist. The context and purpose of their use must be directly tied to the goal of creation and clear to the audience that it was created by AI. Credit or disclosure must accompany the use of such content.

Examples:

• Illustrations or visual artwork to accompany a news or magazine article detailing the use of AI in the academic context or UofL research
• Metadata creation (descriptions of images, documents) for asset management purposes. Note: Though assets are used in marketing/advertising materials, AI-assisted metadata is not public-facing and must be reviewed and made contextually specific by asset managers/creators to reflect the people and places depicted.

Units or individuals who believe their project warrants an exception to this policy should contact the university creative director at branding@louisville.edu prior to production. Exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and require written approval. 

No exception will be granted for uses that carry unresolved legal risk to the university.

Vendors and agencies producing work under approved contract with the university are required to disclose any use of generative AI tools in their production process and to obtain advance written approval from OCM before incorporating AI-generated elements into deliverables.

Responsibilities

The Office of Communications and Marketing (OCM) is responsible for administering this policy, reviewing exception requests and maintaining alignment with ITS guidance as the landscape of AI tools continues to evolve. 

School-, college- and unit-level communicators are responsible for ensuring that content produced within their areas complies with this policy prior to publication. 

Questions may be directed to branding@louisville.edu.