A responsible first step to
Keeping our community safe
The Safe Start Framework is Thompson Rivers University (TRU)’s initial approach to supporting safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI). It provides clear guardrails, practical guidance, and defined decision pathways. As AI continues to evolve, the framework will be updated over time – guided by evidence, human judgment, and accountability.
Design principles
- Designed for everyone
- Highly scalable
- Easy to understand
- Simple to adopt
- Human‑in‑the‑loop where needed
- Built‑in feedback loops
Signal of success: The question transitions from “Is this allowed?” to ““What’s the best way to do this?”
Please direct additional questions to horaizon+safestart@tru.ca
Safety Guardrails
Set of guardrails to share boundaries to maintain safe AI use and promote safe experimentation for our TRU community and beyond.
Guardrails are regularly reviewed and updated as technology and industry standards evolve.
Proper Use Guidelines
Set of guidelines for safe and effective use of AI for the TRU community and beyond.
Please note: If you are an educator and are looking for more specific guidelines, the DSALT Working Group has developed DRAFT Teaching and Learning Guidelines and are reviewing and updating them under the oversight of the Teaching and Learning Committee.
Escalation & Incidents Reporting
Clear steps and contacts for escalating incidents or breaches to ensure fast, calm and consistent response.
Supports our community to take a organized set of steps for proper report handling.
Suggested Tools
TRU’s approach on tools to provide practical guidance and visibility into appropriate use of AI tools.
Tool list is updated quarterly and associated risks and levels of approval are shared transparently.
Microsoft Copilot
To ensure secure, compliant, and efficient adoption of artificial intelligence tools, Thompson Rivers University follows a Copilot-First AI Usage Standard. This approach prioritizes institutionally approved tools operating within secure enterprise environments before considering external platforms.
As a standard practice: Users must begin with Microsoft 365 Copilot for AI-assisted work involving Public or Internal data.
Use of Confidential data is permitted only where explicitly authorized within the secure Microsoft 365 environment and in accordance with TRU data governance standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from our community about AI at TRU, shared transparently so we may learn together.