Rotary International — AI Guidelines for Members
The AI Guidelines for Members are intended to help Rotarians and Rotaractors use artificial intelligence (AI) tools responsibly, ethically, and in alignment with Rotary’s mission and values. These guidelines provide practical information on the appropriate use of AI, privacy, and brand protection, and they are designed to support members in applying the Rotary Code of Policies and Terms of Use.
If you’re unsure whether a specific use of AI is appropriate, please write to the Rotary Support Center at rotarysupportcenter@rotary.org.
Purpose
Rotary International encourages the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support the mission of clubs and districts. Rotary uses AI ethically by ensuring our usage aligns with our mission and values, by promoting environmental sustainability and supporting community economic development, and by advancing other areas of focus through responsible and fair AI practices.
These guidelines help members use AI ethically, protect sensitive information, and uphold Rotary’s reputation.
Definitions
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a machine-based system that can generate content, provide recommendations, or make predictions.
Generative AI is AI that creates new content (for example, text, images, code, or media) from existing data.
An AI tool is any software application, chatbot, or online service that uses AI to complete a task.
Personally identifiable information (PII) is any information that can identify a specific person, such as their name, contact details, photograph, identification numbers, or other unique personal data.
Good Use of AI
Members may use AI tools for nonconfidential, public-facing work, including but not limited to:
• Drafting social media posts
• Writing public newsletters or event invitations
• Preparing presentations or talking points
• Analyzing publicly available data
Generating creative ideas for projects and outreach
• Translating public or nonconfidential content into other languages, while ensuring that translations reflect Rotary’s values and are both culturally and contextually appropriate
Commitment to Ethical and Fair AI Practices
Ethical AI practices further the truth, increase fairness, build goodwill, and benefit all. Rotary is committed to ethical, fair, and responsible AI practices.
Using AI to increase our impact: Use AI to further Rotary’s mission and values and increase our impact globally in our areas of focus. Human-centered decision making: AI should augment, empower, and enhance human decision making — not replace it.
Increasing equity: Use AI to further an equitable society, not create new inequities through biased content or decision making.
Using sustainable AI tools: Use AI tools from providers committed to ethical, fair, and socially responsible practices, including providers that value environmental sustainability.
Promoting responsible AI use: Encourage and model the use of ethical and fair AI practices.
Being transparent about AI’s effects: Be open about both the positive and negative effects of AI — especially its social, economic, and environmental impacts — to build trust and communicate Rotary’s purpose as a humanitarian organization.
Confidentiality of Rotary Information
Do not input private, confidential, or sensitive information into AI tools. This includes but is not limited to:
• Personal data (such as names, contact details, or photos) without explicit permission
• Club administration records (for example, records from district or club databases)
• Financial records, budgets, or dues information
• Donor information, including specific contribution amounts, giving history, and recognition levels
• Grant applications or details, Cadre of Technical Advisers evaluation reports, or audit letters
• Information about community participants or partners involved in Rotary projects or grants, unless they have given informed consent for how their data will be used
• Club or district Foundation information
• Contracts or agreements
When you use generative AI tools, any data you enter — including private details about participants, donors, or community partners — may be stored, analyzed, and used to train AI systems. This compromises privacy, community trust, and Rotary’s ethical commitment to responsible data stewardship.
Data Privacy
Never share personally identifiable information (PII) without consent. Here are some data privacy considerations for AI tools:
• When possible, use a licensed version of a generative AI service with terms and conditions that explicitly prohibit using your data — private or otherwise — to train or refine the tool’s model.
• Turn off chat history or similar features in the settings of AI tools when possible. This helps prevent your content from being stored or used to train the AI system.
• Assume that any information entered into a free or unlicensed AI tool may be stored, accessed, or analyzed by the provider.
• Avoid using AI tools as a host to record or transcribe meetings that include private or sensitive topics.
• Be aware when participants in meetings add AI notetaking. If AI notetaking isn’t appropriate for the meeting topic, politely ask that it be disabled, or hold the meeting on a platform that doesn’t allow AI notetaking. This preserves privacy and promotes engagement during live sessions. When an event is recorded, people with access to the recording might still use AI later for notetaking assistance.
Entering personal or confidential information into external AI services may carry legal risks. Under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable national or regional data protection laws, providing personal or sensitive data to third-party AI platforms may constitute a violation of privacy regulations. These actions could result in penalties, administrative sanctions, or reputational harm, depending on the nature and severity of the breach.
If in doubt, don’t upload it.
Data Security
Here are some data security recommendations for AI tools:
• Use AI tools only on secure, trusted networks — not public Wi-Fi. Whenever possible, use a virtual private network (VPN) for an added layer of protection.
• Review privacy and sharing settings to ensure Rotary data isn’t exposed or made public.
• Use strong passwords and enable multifactor authentication whenever available.
• Do not enable any AI plug-ins or extensions within productivity applications — such as email, calendar, messaging, document, or project management tools — that may access or share Rotary data or that can automatically join and transcribe meetings.
Protection of Intellectual Property
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL – AI GUIDELINES FOR MEMBERS_EN (February 2026)
Just because information is accessible online — whether on Rotary.org or any other website — does not mean it is free for any use, including use with AI tools. Publicly available content may still be protected by copyright, trademark, or privacy laws, or it may be subject to specific terms of use. Respect privacy, permissions, and Rotary’s policies by always checking the source for restrictions before using any online content with AI tools.
Follow these rules:
• Do not upload Rotary’s logos, branded content, or other intellectual property into AI tools without explicit permission from Rotary International. This includes logos, images, photos, videos, articles, and other materials from the Brand Center, Rotary publications, or Rotary websites. It also includes club and district logos.
• Do not use AI to create Rotary-branded logos, graphics, or other trademarked materials.
• Do not generate content that mimics a specific individual’s likeness or creative style without permission. This includes Paul Harris and other individuals affiliated with Rotary.
• Follow Rotary’s brand guidelines if you use AI to create club or district materials (such as event flyers or social media posts). You may add your club or district logo to the AI-generated materials you create, but do not use AI to alter your club or district logo, use AI to generate any Rotary logos, or upload the logo into the AI tool for other uses.
• All use of Rotary logos needs to comply with the Brand Center guidelines and Rotary’s licensing system. For correct color reproduction, placement, and sizing, refer to the Brand Center.
• Do not name AI tools (such as chatbots or virtual assistants) in a way that implies Rotary International endorsement, official status, or organizational authority. All naming needs to comply with Rotary’s trademark and branding policies. Any use of the word “Rotary,” the word “Rotarian,” the Rotary logo, or other Rotary trademarks or service marks to name or represent an AI tool needs a clear identifier of the sponsoring club or district and cannot suggest the tool is operated or endorsed by Rotary International.
Photos, Videos, and Likenesses
Do not upload identifiable photos or videos of members, volunteers, beneficiaries, participants, partners, or any other individuals into AI systems unless you have their explicit permission. This prohibition includes likenesses of Rotary-affiliated individuals such as Paul Harris or other leaders.
Do not use AI to create, alter, animate, or otherwise manipulate images that imitate or utilize a person’s likeness (including deepfakes, composites, or synthetic images) without explicit consent.
For minors or sensitive contexts, always obtain written approval from a guardian or anyone necessary before uploading or using images in AI tools.
Data Accuracy and Bias
AI content can be wrong, biased, or incomplete. Always fact-check AI-generated material before sharing, and verify that any external sources cited by AI are trustworthy.
Disclosure of AI Use
Be open and honest about using AI when creating Rotary content. Disclosure means clearly communicating when and how AI tools have been used so that audiences understand the role of AI in the final product.
Provide disclosure when AI tools play a significant role in developing content, such as generating text, images, or designs — not necessarily for minor edits or formatting assistance.
When appropriate, label AI-generated or AI-assisted materials. Examples of clear disclosure statements include:
• Generated with AI assistance
• Created using AI tools
• AI-generated content — verified by human reviewer. AI should support, not replace, the judgment and creativity of Rotary participants.
Questions
If you’re unsure whether AI use is appropriate, write to the Rotary Support Center at rotarysupportcenter@rotary.org.