LTBX AI Policy

Last UPDATED 05/20/2026

Version 1.0

Preamble

AI is here. It has actually been here much longer than we have known, but there is no denying the impact and the moment it is having as of the creation of this document. There is no irony in the fact that this document has been created completely by a human without any assistance from an AI, though even that is arguable, as auto-suggest has made it into everyday usage for anyone using word processing.

The world is changing faster than ever, and in that spirit we are throwing a marker down fully acknowledging the fluidity of technology as well as the fluid nature of this document. But this is the moment we are in, and we are moving in real time. AI is an ever- increasingly pervasive technology, and it is not about whether if it is used in business, but rather when, how and why.

The following policy explains how we are currently using AI, our intentions with its use , as well as the ways we will not be using it. The purpose of this policy is not to restrict or create barriers, but rather to set clear communication and expectations. As previously noted and as an official note, this is a working document that will be updated periodically to keep up with the ever changing landscape of the technology.

Note: “Clients” are referred to as “Partners” throughout this document.

Beliefs

At LightBox, we have always prided ourselves on crafting consequential connection. That is integral to our identity. And while technology is undoubtedly changing how we go about doing our work, our why remains unshaken. It is firmly grounded in our values and we will continue to be led by our humanity, driven by curiosity and creativity and always striving for moving with authenticity and integrity.

For us, AI is not intended to replace our jobs or our people, but it will impact how we do things. What remains at our core as designers in a studio environment is developing our own authorship, skill development, critical thinking, and our individual voices. These are the qualities that shape our work and the positive outcomes that come from collaborating with our partners.

Human relationships remain at the center of our work and human input drives the final product. We will continue to employ our expertise, creativity, and understanding of our partners to co-create their brands and empower their story telling.

AI In Use 

GENERATIVE AI

AI has made its way into our work through a variety of software we’ve used for many years. The line between enhancement and recreation has become blurry as we have long been able to refine, enhance, and edit, but some of these features have been supercharged by Generative AI. . Whenever AI is used, it is intended to be a support tool and not a substitution for our work. This is most notable when utilizing Generative AI. Generative AI is extremely powerful but is often built on the hard work of others without their consent or compensation.

Consequently, in any case where LightBox uses Generative AI to generate images, we are using it with source material we have created or purchased the rights to use in this way. While not a perfect solution, this helps us avoid copyrighted material, its derivatives, and work used without permission, while maintaining high quality standards for our outputs.

When creating personas, we utilize Generative AI to create lifelike human portraits to provide the empathetic connection while protecting privacy or specific associations with a particular individual.

PHOTO MANIPULATION

Tools like Photoshop and other digital image editors have made photo retouching and manipulation easier over the years. These tools have integrated Generative AI into their systems to make this even easier.

At LightBox we take photos for partners as ways of documenting events, sharing our partner’s impactful work, and as source material for a variety of other narrative work. Our policy on photo editing and manipulation on documentary photos is to maintain the integrity of the photographs content and context. We will not manipulate those images in any way that would mislead viewers or misrepresent the reality of the events. We’re not willing to use these tools to change people’s physical features, modify a subject’s age, or to misrepresent realities. We are willing to edit photos to reduce distraction in backgrounds, adjust skin tone and color to be consistent, and to reduce shadow or wrinkles on clothing. LightBox reserves the right to refuse partners requests for photo manipulation if we deem it necessary. 

RESEARCH & SUMMARY

One of the most powerful, time saving and efficient ways to use AI is with research and summarization. At LightBox, it is now common practice to supplement our normal research practices with AI for first rounds of research, summarization and basic analysis and comparison. We utilize AI tools to help with meeting transcriptions and to quickly summarize meetings while providing a first pass on actionable items for our team. This work provides a basis for further clarification, definition and refinement of the work done by our team.

There may be cases where our partners have supplied AI-generated images without our knowledge. If that is the case, we assume that our partners are solely responsible to disseminate that information, and are complying with proper licensing and applicable copyright laws. LightBox reserves the right to decline their usage for various reasons, be they of a design or an ethical nature. 

Security

Besides being a tool, AI is a data platform and therefore subject to data scrutiny. This will only increase over time. At LightBox, our partners and their customer data safety is paramount. Our approach to data security means that this sensitive, proprietary data and information is stored separately. LightBox will never add any of our partners’ personally identifiable information (PII) into AI tools. When our partners have a data security policy in relationship to AI we do our best to adhere to those standards.

Commitments

We are committed to transparency and clear articulation of when and how we use AI. This will include notifications and documentation on public facing case study work.

The significant environmental effects of using AI is well documented and has real impact. We’re actively increasing our studio’s engagement in environmental stewardship to counteract the impact of increased AI usage.

Our use of AI is not intended to be an end-all, and ultimately, everything done with AI is reviewed and approved by real-life actual humans.

Simultaneously, we recognize that the nature of our work is highly collaborative, and we also trust that our work will not be used in any derivative ways without our prior written consent and acknowledgement. By engaging with LightBox, you acknowledge this policy along with our Privacy Policy, and Terms and Conditions.

There are aspects of AI that are amazing, but there is also great complexity and potential for unimaginable damage that can be done through its misuse. When properly used, it can be an extremely helpful tool and help people and businesses take huge leaps forward in their work or completely change their work. Ultimately, AI cannot replace human intuition, interaction, storytelling, and our connection and understanding.

If you have any concerns or questions about this policy, we would love to sit down and have a face-to-face conversation.