Running your PTA

• Zoom – creates live captions and meeting transcripts for Zoom calls

• Looka – helps with branding and marketing

• Be clear and specific

• Give an overview of the context( e. g. audience, format)

• Break down any complex requests

• Use examples or templates where possible

• Say what you want to avoid

If you have any PTA-related questions, no need to ask ChatGPT, ask our Community Advisers by calling 0300 123 5460 or emailing info @ parentkind. org. uk

One of the biggest issues with AI is that it trawls through copyrighted material and uses it to generate its results. It’ s a bit of a grey area at the moment as AI has developed faster than regulation. Something to think about if you’ re creating promotional materials for a movie night featuring a famous franchise, but not so much when asking for examples of risk assessments.

It ' s not easy being green If your school is committed to being greener, keep in mind that AI uses a lot of energy and using it could contradict any environmental policies they have in place. Speak with the school to see what they think and look out for eco-friendly alternatives – technology is changing every day.

While the possibilities of AI may seem endless, the technology isn’ t perfect yet. We recommend using it to prompt or polish – either to generate ideas at the start of a project or to tidy it up at the end. AI is a great time saver, but you will still need to proofread, edit and sense check everything it makes.

As with all technology, there are risks involved in using AI. Never input private, personal or sensitive information, make sure you understand the privacy settings of the tool you’ re using, and always report inappropriate and offensive results. Depending on how the AI has been developed, its results can sometimes be biased, so use it with caution and keep yourself informed of the potential risks.

There are times when a human being is still your best option:

• Anything legal – AI is great for translating legal jargon, creating templates for documents and spellchecking, but don’ t use it instead of a professional.

• Video and photos – AI graphics look impressive, but realistic photos / videos are a moral grey area, especially with depictions of children, as you don ' t know where the app has sourced the original images from.

• When asked not to – Some organisations have policies against the use of AI. For example, you might be asked not to use it for a grant application. Some schools also have concerns due to an increasing number of pupils using AI to cheat on homework and coursework. It might be worth speaking to your headteacher about the school’ s policy.

• Professional parents – If you know of any parents who professionally do the sort of tasks you want AI to help with, ask the parent first. It’ s better for community and relationshipbuilding, and the result will likely be much better. If they say no, you’ ve always got AI to fall back on.

Does your PTA use AI? Let us know your thoughts on PTA Hangout:

Illustrations: iStock. com / Devita ayu Silvianingtyas, mspoint, kadirkaba. Photography: iStock. com / shurkin _ son

PARENTKIND. ORG AUTUMN / WINTER 2025 19