Use of AI by grant applicants

1. General Principles

MAC does not encourage or discourage the use of AI by applicants. However, as AI becomes more integrated into technology, administrative processes, and artistic practice, MAC requests cautious usage of these tools to ensure fairness, integrity, and respect for human creativity, intellectual property, and to avoid bias against or disadvantage to any group or individual.

Applicants and assessors are encouraged to consult the FASTER[1] principles to reduce risks and ensure generative AI tools are used responsibly.

FASTER Principles

F – Fair	Ensure that content from these tools does not include or amplify biases and that it complies with human rights, accessibility, and procedural and substantive fairness obligations.
A – Accountable	Take responsibility for the content generated by these tools and the impacts of their use. This includes making sure generated content is accurate, legal, ethical, and compliant with the terms of use.
S – Secure	Ensure that the infrastructure and tools are appropriate and that privacy and personal information are protected.
T – Transparent	Identify content that has been produced using generative AI; notify users that they are interacting with an AI tool.
E – Educated	Learn about the strengths, limitations and responsible use of the tools; learn how to create effective prompts and to identify potential weaknesses in the outputs.
R – Relevant	Make sure the use of generative AI tools supports user and organizational needs and contributes to better outcomes for clients; consider the environmental impacts when choosing to use a tool; identify appropriate tools for the task.

2. Use of AI in grant applications

2.a   Writing grant applications

AI tools (for example, ChatGPT, DALL·E, Grammarly, etc.) can have the benefits of helping reduce the workload related to applying for grants and improving the clarity of your application. Applicants might use AI tools for administrative or supportive purposes such as drafting outlines, improving grammar, using plain language, and supporting translation.

If you use AI tools to assist in writing, editing, or generating content for your application, you do not need to declare this to MAC. However, you are fully responsible and accountable for the accuracy, relevance, and originality of the content of your application, as well as for any negative consequences associated with improper usage of material that is licensed or copyrighted.

Use AI tools with caution; they are not necessarily the best choice in every situation.

Before deciding to use an AI tool, we recommend that applicants consult the FASTER principles above and also consider the following:

Risk	Mitigation
Privacy and intellectual property risks: Many AI tools store user input to improve model performance. By entering confidential information in an AI tool, applicants may unintentionally compromise the privacy, security, or ownership of creative ideas and property.	Reputable AI companies ensure privacy, data protection, and cybersecurity by complying with international standards (e.g. PIPEDA, ISO 27001, or NIST.) To be safer, you can check to see if the tool you are using complies with any of these standards. You should also avoid entering sensitive, personal, or confidential data in AI tools. (i.e. personal information about collaborators, proprietary information, or intellectual property)
Loss of authentic voice and vision: AI-generated text can sound generic or impersonal and may dilute your unique artistic voice and vision. This can make your application feel less compelling or original to assessors.	All AI-generated content should be human-reviewed for errors, bias, and tone. Ensure that the final submission reflects your own ideas, voice, and artistic intent.
Bias and cultural insensitivity: AI models are trained on large datasets that may reflect systemic biases. This can result in outputs that unintentionally reinforce stereotypes or exclude diverse perspectives.	All AI-generated content should be human-reviewed for errors, bias, and tone. Ensure that the final submission reflects your intent on fairness, equity, and diversity.
Inaccuracy and hallucination: AI tools can present credible-sounding information, but that are factually incorrect or even fabricated. This can be especially problematic when describing your past work, budget or project rationale.	All AI-generated content should be human-reviewed for errors and bias. Ensure that the final submission is fair, accurate, and factual.
Copyright and authorship: AI use raises legal and ethical questions related to copyright infringement. Generative AI services may have used copyright-protected work to train AI models without consent, credit, or compensation. Legal frameworks around the world related to AI and copyright continue to evolve.	Avoid using AI to generate creative material unless it is directly related to your project. If AI-generated content is not clearly disclosed, it may raise questions about authorship and transparency.
Environmental impact: The data centres that power AI systems consume significant amounts of water for cooling purposes and require large amounts of electricity, often relying on non-renewable sources.	Consider whether AI is truly necessary for the task you are approaching and reduce frequent or unnecessary use of AI.

2.b Use of AI in your proposed creative works

If your proposed project involves the use of AI in the creation, curation, or dissemination of artistic work, MAC requests that you include details in your grant application about how AI will be used, to ensure privacy, ethical, and legal concerns are addressed.

Please refer to the below and include the information in your application in the fields identified  or other relevant fields, if applicable:

Information to include	Description	Fields in Application
Describe how you are using AI	Explain how AI will be used creatively or technically in your project, including the content generated and the impacts of its use.	Project Description and/or Additional Information, if required.
Address ethical considerations	Consult the Government of Canada’s FASTER[1] principles and articulate how you will address issues such as fairness, bias, data privacy, authorship, and consent.	Permissions, Cultural Integrity, and Additional Information, if required.
Ensure rights and licensing compliance for AI-generated content	To avoid issues with unlicensed, improperly attributed, or copyright-infringing content, ensure you have the rights to or licences for any AI-generated content used in your project.	Permissions and/or Additional Information, if required.

MAC does not encourage or discourage the use of AI by applicants, and this information will not be considered as advantages or disadvantages when applications are assessed. These fields are for information purposes only.

The named applicant is ultimately accountable for the complete contents of their application and the created works. MAC will not be held responsible for the actions of MAC applicants or grantees with respect to their generating or using content by AI. Any bias, discrimination, improper usage, or copyright infringement resulting from AI usage are the responsibility of the client.

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[1] Treasury Board Secretariat, Generative AI in your daily work – Canada.ca