A framework for thoughtful AI use in community-centered organizations.
These guidelines are designed to keep humans at the center while using AI as a tool to strengthen relationships and remove drudgery. They're meant to be adapted to your community's specific values and context.
Always prioritize human creativity, relationships, and decision-making. Use AI to remove drudgery and free up time to form and deepen real, authentic relationships.
Disclose when AI has made a significant contribution to a piece of work or communication. Use transparency to build trust rather than compliance.
Whenever possible, choose AI tools and partners that align with your values. Acknowledge that perfect alignment isn't always possible — but choose the better option whenever you can, even if it comes at greater cost. Revisit these principles regularly to stay current and responsible as technology evolves.
Use AI to support consistency, help get unstuck, and stay on task toward meaningful goals. The goal isn't flash or novelty — it's steady progress and sustained follow-through.
Assume good intent from individuals using AI. Share what you learn openly and encourage thoughtful, nonjudgmental dialogue about its use.
Let AI assist in decision-making or creative processes, but ensure humans make final calls and use AI to strengthen real, authentic relationships, not replace them.
Favor tools that allow portability, self-hosting, and independence from lock-in. Maintain control over your data, privacy, and adaptability.
Commit to learning how AI systems work to use them effectively and responsibly. Treat curiosity and comprehension as part of good stewardship.
Offer AI as an aid, not a requirement. Respect when someone chooses the slower, more human path to build connection through presence and authenticity.
Look for ways to use online AI tools to accomplish offline tasks and goals — better connecting and listening with people, finishing physical space projects, strengthening in-person community.
Whenever possible, think in worksheet/template formats that can be personalized to the person filling them out, and/or the context that the worksheet/template is being used.
Don't use AI to substitute for genuine interpersonal or community interactions — AI can support real, authentic relationships, but never stand in for them.
If AI played a meaningful creative role, disclose it clearly. No ghostwriting, no hidden automation.
Use AI to learn from others' work, not to copy or mimic their style or content.
Avoid using AI out of trendiness, curiosity, or convenience when the human way builds stronger, more authentic relationships.
Don't use AI in ways that violate people's privacy or proceed without informed consent. Respect individual autonomy and digital boundaries.
Don't let AI replace human care or emotional nuance — efficiency should never come at the expense of empathy.
Avoid reliance that dulls critical thinking, creativity, or craftsmanship. AI should enhance capability, not diminish it.
Don't let "the AI said so" become a justification. Humans remain responsible for choices, outcomes, and the quality of their real, authentic relationships.
Don't use tools that violate your values or harm others — convenience is never worth complicity.
Don't ship AI-generated text directly in final products. Whenever possible, remove the possibility entirely by designing systems that prevent unedited AI output from reaching end users.
These are areas worth exploring as your community develops its own approach:
What is the meaningful difference between dictation (transcribing your words exactly) and AI processing that rewrites, reorganizes, or "improves" your language? Where should you draw boundaries around authentic voice versus AI-assisted output?
When is it appropriate to use community content to train or fine-tune AI models? How do you handle consent for content that predates AI capabilities?
How do you balance making AI tools accessible to community members while avoiding over-reliance that erodes skills?
These guidelines are designed to be adapted. Some suggestions:
- Start with discussion — Use these as a starting point for conversations with your team or community
- Customize the language — Replace generic terms with language that resonates with your culture
- Add your own constraints — What specific boundaries matter to your context?
- Remove what doesn't fit — Not every guideline will apply to every organization
- Keep it living — Revisit and revise as your understanding evolves
Originally developed by Indy Hall, a coworking community in Philadelphia that has been building community since 2006.
This work is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.