Last Updated: October 27, 2026
The India Association of Minnesota (IAM), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1973, is deeply committed to upholding community trust, transparency, and data privacy. In alignment with global ethical standards, the EU AI Act (2026), and state consumer privacy regulations (including CCPA/CPRA and CIPA), this AI Policy & Transparency Statement discloses how artificial intelligence technologies are deployed on iamn.org, how visitor data is protected, and your rights as a community member.
1. Purpose & Role of AI on IAMN
IAM utilizes artificial intelligence exclusively to enhance community accessibility and support volunteer administrative efforts. Specifically, we operate an IAM Community Smart Assistant (Chatbot) powered by Google Gemini AI models. Its sole purposes are:
- To assist community members, visitors, and families in quickly navigating festival logistics, IndiaFest stage schedules, and ticket registrations.
- To answer common questions regarding IAM membership categories, perks, bylaws, and community history.
- To connect visitors with relevant volunteer opportunities, grants, and community sister organizations.
2. Informational Guidance Only (No Legal or Board Advice)
All responses generated by the IAM Community Smart Assistant are automated and provided strictly for general informational guidance. While we continuously refine our knowledge base for high fidelity:
- AI-generated answers do not constitute legal advice, tax opinions, or formal binding decisions of the IAM Board of Directors or Executive Committee.
- Official organization governance matters, election results, and bylaws amendments are exclusively governed by our verified board records and published PDF charters.
- For definitive verification on sponsorship contracts, vendor allocations, or tax receipts, please consult with designated IAM officers.
3. Data Privacy & Anti-Surveillance Safeguards
IAM adheres to a strict data minimization policy across all technological integrations:
- No Sensitive Data Collection: We do not request, harvest, or store sensitive personal information (such as Social Security numbers, banking credentials, or credit/debit card numbers) via AI chat interactions. Please do not share financial or sensitive credentials in the chat interface.
- Encrypted Communications: All interactions between your browser and our server are secured with Transport Layer Security (TLS 1.3 / HTTPS).
- Zero Commercialization: IAM never sells, leases, monetizes, or shares visitor chat transcripts or telemetry with third-party advertisers, data brokers, or commercial entities.
- No Biometric or High-Risk Systems: IAM does not employ facial recognition, emotion detection, biometric classification, or automated discriminatory profiling technologies.
4. Human Escalation & Direct Support
We believe technology should serve our community, not replace authentic human connection. If at any time our AI assistant cannot answer your question, provides inaccurate details, or you prefer to speak directly with an IAM volunteer or leadership member, you have immediate access to human escalation:
- Official Support Email: info@iamn.org
- Contact & Support Ticket Form: iamn.org/contact
- Mailing Address: India Association of Minnesota, P.O. Box 130158, St. Paul, MN 55113
5. Ethical AI, Fairness & Non-Discrimination
Guided by our foundational pillars of Culture, Charity, and Connections, IAM mandates that our AI systems treat all community members with dignity, respect, and fairness. System prompts and safety guardrails are engineered to prevent bias, hate speech, or discrimination across race, religion, regional origin, caste, language, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.
6. Questions & Governance Feedback
IAM periodically audits AI prompts, knowledge retrieval caches, and security controls under administrator supervision. We welcome feedback from our members and community partners to ensure our AI tools remain helpful, safe, and aligned with community expectations.
For questions, policy inquiries, or to report an issue with an automated response, please contact us directly at info@iamn.org.
