AI Position Statement

Genuine human connection, authentic and personal content and education, and considerations for the wider implications of artificial intelligence (AI) use are all important to me. I also appreciate that AI tools can do good, when used responsibly, and that the use of AI in general can be controversial and at times divisive among our community.

This position statement describes how AI is used by myself and my team at VIMN. I hope you find this helpful; please reach out if you have any questions.

Content Creation

All educational content is written by myself. AI is used at times to help turn podcast transcripts/recordings into blog posts, but the educational content itself is created by me.

Some tools used as part of content creation (eg Canva, Headliner) have AI-assistive technology that does things like create short video clips from the podcast audio, or remove backgrounds from images. While these are not generative AI (in the same way as Claude, ChatGPT etc) they do use some in-built AI technology to detect specific audio clips or detect image backgrounds.

I do NOT use generative AI to create images for content or slides. Instead, I use either stock photos (via software I pay for) or existing photos I have (with consent to share). Some (4) historically-created images are present in one webinar. My podcast artwork was illustrated by and purchased from Amy Farmer (https://www.instagram.com/amyfarmerdigitalartist/).

Medical Nursing Academy

Some resources are created using vibe-code app builders (eg Replit, Netlify) which, similar to the tools listed above, utilise inbuilt AI. The platform that hosts the Academy (ThriveAcademy) does incorporate some AI within its code - much the same way as all other platforms. I specifically do NOT use an AI teaching assistant (though the software has the option to create one), or use AI in my communication with students. All student support is provided by myself (customer service enquiries are also responded to via email by my VA, Heidi).

Virtual Assistance

I have a virtual assistant - several people have asked if my VA is real or if this is AI. My VA, Heidi, is not AI - she is a very real, paid, person - virtual because she works from her home office, much in the same way I do. All emails will come from my email address (laura@veterinaryinternalmedicinenursing.com) but the email signature will vary depending on who is replying to each specific email. Heidi also edits my podcast and helps to schedule podcast show notes, and content. She has worked with me for several years, and is an integral part of VIMN.

Email and Communication

Please rest assured that every email received from me or my VA is sent by a human being. I do use some automative software (eg ManyChat, which allows social media DM automations to share links and provide resources - and MailerLite, which sends emails to my mailing list). However, these tools send messages that I have already written - you are still receiving communication from myself, just at a later time.

I do use generative AI (Claude) and AI-containing tools (Grammarly) to double-check my writing before sending for concisiveness, spelling and grammar. I also use it to check presentation slides and notes in the same manner. As a neurodivergent individual whos writing is prone to small mistakes, I rely on these tools to ensure my work is of good quality.

I hope this helps answer any questions you may have and provides clarity on when and how AI is used by myself and my team. I appreciate that AI use is a controversial topic and while there are many negatives associated with its use, I am very particular about when and how I use it - ensuring it is only used as a tool for good, and in a way that feels authentic to me. I believe that the over-use of AI, particularly within content and communication, is a huge negative and has changed the way I interact with people as a consumer myself - and I will not allow that to be the case at VIMN.