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AI-Assisted Content Drafting and Translation for Public Affairs

What it is for

Inform
  • To assist in writing and presentation of agency objectives and public information for use on social media channels.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Translation & Language Access
  • The tool provides translations of DEP content into other languages as part of its public communications support function.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Run by
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Where
No fixed location
Kept
Not stated by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation.
Shared with
Not stated by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation.
Your copy
You cannot see the data it holds about you. What you can do

What it is for

InformTranslation & Language Access

This tool helps NYC Department of Environmental Protection staff draft social media posts, video scripts, and translated materials for public communications. It is used by the Public Affairs team and does not collect or process identifying information about individuals. The content it produces is reviewed by staff before publication.

What it collects and what happens to it

Data taken in

About behaviour
Anonymized data
  • Staff prompts entered by DEP Public Affairs employees — the desired tone, topic, or factual context provided to Copilot when requesting content drafts or translations. No identifying information about members of the public is included.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Operational data
Anonymized data
  • DEP factual information used as grounding context for generated content — agency objectives, program information, and public messaging intended to be communicated on social media or via video.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Processing

Language Models
  • Microsoft Copilot for M365 uses large language model technology to generate text drafts and translations. Training data is proprietary to Microsoft, with access to data in the DEP Microsoft tenant.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

What it does

Creating (Generative AI)
Human decides
  • Drafts social media content, video scripts, and translated materials from staff prompts. Staff review and approve outputs before use; the tool is described as informative and the autonomy level is advisory.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Outputs

Generated content
Anonymized data
  • Appropriate content for social media posts, video scripts, and translated materials in other languages. Outputs do not contain identifying information about individuals and are reviewed by staff before publication.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Run by

Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
  • The NYC Department of Environmental Protection's Public Affairs department deploys this tool to assist staff in drafting social media content, video scripts, and translated materials as part of an ongoing pilot begun in July 2025.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Built by

Microsoft
  • Microsoft provides the Copilot for M365 tool and delivered some staff training. The engagement is a no-cost arrangement; training data is proprietary to Microsoft, with access to data in the DEP Microsoft tenant.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Kept for

Not stated by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation.

Shared with

Not available to me
  • No identifying information about members of the public is collected or disclosed by this system. Individuals do not have a means to access data produced by this tool because no personal data about them is held.

NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report

Stored

Not stated by the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation.

How to read the colours

Can it identify you?

Anonymized data
Data about people with the link to who is broken. Stripped of identifiers, blurred, aggregated, or noised so this system can’t reasonably tie a record back to an individual.
Pseudonymous data
Each person’s data is tied to a token (hash, ID, template) that lets this system recognise the same person across events, but the token itself doesn’t reveal a name. Reidentification is possible with extra information.
Identifiable data
The data either contains a direct identifier (name, address, account name, recognisable face or voice, plate number) or carries a token this system uses to look up legal identity during processing.

Who completes the loop?

Human decides
This mode suggests; a person decides what to do next. The AI is always advisory — a human is in the loop on every decision. Example: a triage tool ranks cases for a clinician who chooses which to see first.
Human executes
This mode decides; a person carries out the result. Example: an optimizer plans the day’s trash-collection routes, and drivers run them.
Autonomous
This mode decides and acts on its own. No person reviews each decision or carries out the resulting action.

Definitions from the DTPR standard. Amber is about your data, violet about who decides. The fuller the shape and the deeper the colour, the more identifying the data or the less a person is involved.

What you can do

Ask about this system

Questions go to the NYC Office of Technology and Innovation, not the vendor.

Your rights

  • Right to Be Informed of AI UseThe public is informed that DEP may use AI-assisted tools to draft public communications, as disclosed in the NYC Algorithmic Tools Compliance Report. No personal data about members of the public is collected or processed.

Risks and safeguards

  • Societal & cultural harmAI-generated public communications could spread misinformation, reflect biased or inaccurate translations, or homogenize agency messaging in ways that erode public trust.Safeguard: Outputs are reviewed and approved by DEP Public Affairs staff before publication; the tool operates in an advisory capacity only and human staff retain final editorial control.