Leadership — Lesson 1 | People United Foundation

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Lesson 1 • Leadership

Understanding AI in Community Contexts

Artificial intelligence is often discussed in technical or commercial terms. Community leaders need a different lens: what does AI actually do, and where does it belong—or not belong—in community decision-making?

Estimated time: 15 minutes Ethics-first Practical

Key concepts

AI systems recognize patterns in data; they do not “understand” people or communities.
AI reflects the values, assumptions, and limitations of its creators and training data.
In community contexts, misuse can damage trust faster than it creates efficiency.

Practice Exercise

Describe one decision your organization makes regularly. Write: (1) what information is used today, (2) one place AI might help, and (3) one reason you would be cautious.

Template (copy/paste)

ROLE: You are my ethics-first AI assistant.
GOAL: Help me explain AI in a community leadership context.
CONTEXT: We serve [community/constituency].
OUTPUT: 1 paragraph definition + 3 practical examples + 3 risks.
CONSTRAINTS: Plain language, no hype, no surveillance suggestions.
CHECKS: Flag assumptions and what must be verified.

Ethics & accuracy: verify important facts, avoid sharing sensitive personal data, and be transparent when AI helped draft content.

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