Authentic voices and human-to-human connection are fundamental to WCC’s purpose and values. Our policies and commitments about the use of AI are aligned with these values and our Six Essential Practices. We commit that any and all AI resources that we choose to leverage will be human-led with the goal of creating positive and transparent human-centred experiences.

WCC’s Essential Practices for the Use of AI

COURAGE: It is always the writer’s choice to share their work in a WCC workshop. To honour this practice, we do not use or condone the use of our creative content for the training of large language models (LLMs).

What we mean by “Our creative content”:

• Content created by WCC including our blogs, presentations, research, social media posts, newsletters, print publications, and websites.
• Content generated in WCC workshops.
• Content created by WCC writers and facilitators that is shared publicly (with permission) in WCC communications, as well as in performances and publications.

AFFIRMATION: WCC provides only empowering, authentic feedback. To honour this practice:

• We do not leverage AI to generate feedback on creative content generated in WCC workshops or in the Write On! Program.
• We do not use AI to respond to messages from the individuals and organizations we interact with.
• We do not use AI for substantive or line editing of WCC publications.
• We do not use AI to provide staff with feedback or for performance reviews.

We may leverage AI for:

• Copy editing WCC publications.
• To draft, review, and edit non-creative content such as business documentation, grants, etc.
• To develop transcripts/closed captions of our public readings, performances, videos, and other content to increase its accessibility.

In these cases, a human staff member will always review and approve AI output for authentic alignment with WCC values, voice, and the communities we serve.

STORY: WCC believes that brave writing happens when we are protected by the assumption that all writing in a WCC workshop is fiction; at the same time, we uphold authentic human voice as a core value. So, we do not accept the use of AI to generate writing in a WCC workshop. In selecting workshop prompts, we encourage our facilitators to rely on art created by humans to inspire the creation of art by humans.

When artwork such as painting and poetry is used in WCC communications, we choose human-generated pieces that are open to the public domain.

CONFIDENTIALITY: WCC maintains a commitment to confidentiality in its workshops, meetings, and discussions. To honour this practice:

• We do not allow AI ‘bots/companions to attend WCC workshops or meetings.
• We do not allow WCC workshops to be recorded, nor their content to be used to train LLMs.

In the case of meetings, presentations, training events, and roundtables that we host and wish to record, we inform attendees prior to starting a recording.

INCLUSIVITY: WCC strives for the greatest possible inclusivity in our workshops. In support of this, we investigate and may leverage AI as a support or adaptive technology for workshop attendees, volunteers, and staff whose participation may be enhanced.

We will work with partners, experts, individual writers, and staff members to understand the opportunities that AI creates for greater inclusivity. We will balance these needs and opportunities with WCC’s Six Essential Practices.

DEEP LISTENING: Deep listening depends on empathy and the use of all human senses. Authentic human-to-human connection is fundamental to WCC’s purpose and values. To honour this practice, we will not use AI to replace human-to-human interaction in our workshops, meetings, presentations, or training events.

We will continue to engage in listening, learning, and conversation around AI and will adapt our use and non-use of AI as the technology evolves.

We commit that any and all AI resources that we choose to leverage will be human-led with the goal of creating positive and transparent human-centred experiences.