AI Disclosure and Limitations
Last Updated: October 14, 2025
Important: This Service Uses Artificial Intelligence
Illuminate uses AI-powered tools to help you think and explore educational and career options—not to make decisions for you. Please read this disclosure carefully to understand how AI is used in our Service and its limitations.
1. The Purpose of Our AI Tools
Our AI systems are designed as thinking tools to support your decision-making process, not replace it. Specifically, our AI tools help you:
- Explore possibilities: Discover career paths and majors you may not have considered
- Organize information: Synthesize assessment data into understandable patterns
- Identify connections: Find relationships between interests, strengths, and career options
- Generate insights: Provide data-driven perspectives on career alignment
- Support reflection: Offer prompts and questions to guide your thinking
What AI Does NOT Do:
- Make final decisions about college majors or career paths
- Guarantee outcomes or predict future success
- Replace human judgment, intuition, or personal values
- Account for all individual circumstances and life factors
2. How Our AI Systems Work
2.1 Data Collection
Our AI analyzes information you provide through:
- Assessment responses (aptitude, interests, personality, values)
- Academic history and performance data
- Stated preferences and goals
- Demographic information (age, grade level, etc.)
2.2 Pattern Recognition
The AI uses machine learning models trained on educational and career outcome data to identify patterns and correlations between student characteristics and successful career paths. It compares your data against these patterns to generate recommendations.
2.3 Human Review
All AI-generated insights are reviewed by our experienced education consultants before being shared with you. This human oversight ensures quality, context, and appropriateness of recommendations.
3. Important Limitations of AI
3.1 Probabilistic, Not Deterministic
AI recommendations are based on statistical probabilities and pattern matching, not certainties. A high AI recommendation score does not guarantee success, and a lower score does not preclude success in any field.
3.2 Potential for Errors and Bias
Like all AI systems, ours may contain limitations including:
- Training data limitations: AI models reflect patterns in historical data, which may not capture emerging careers or changing market conditions
- Potential bias: AI may inadvertently reflect biases present in training data regarding gender, race, socioeconomic status, or other factors
- Incomplete understanding: AI cannot fully comprehend human creativity, passion, determination, or unique circumstances
- Technical errors: Software bugs, data processing errors, or model limitations may affect output quality
3.3 Cannot Predict the Future
AI cannot predict:
- Future job market conditions or economic changes
- Technological disruptions that may create or eliminate careers
- Personal growth, skill development, or changing interests over time
- Life circumstances that may influence career trajectories
3.4 Context and Nuance
AI may not fully account for:
- Family circumstances and financial considerations
- Cultural values and community expectations
- Health conditions or learning differences
- Geographic constraints or preferences
- Personal values that cannot be quantified in assessments
4. Your Responsibility in Decision-Making
You—not the AI—are responsible for all educational and career decisions.
We Strongly Recommend That You:
- Treat AI as one input among many: Consider AI insights alongside other factors like personal interests, family input, financial considerations, and professional advice
- Question and verify: Do not accept AI recommendations at face value; research careers, talk to professionals in the field, and explore options independently
- Consult with humans: Discuss findings with our consultants, school counselors, parents, mentors, and professionals in fields of interest
- Trust your judgment: If an AI recommendation does not feel right, trust your instincts and explore other options
- Consider the whole picture: Think about your values, passions, circumstances, and long-term goals beyond what assessments capture
- Stay flexible: Recognize that interests and goals may change over time, and that is perfectly normal
5. AI Transparency Commitments
In compliance with California AI transparency laws, we commit to:
- Clear disclosure: We clearly identify when AI is being used to generate content or recommendations
- Explainability: We provide explanations for why AI made specific recommendations
- Human oversight: All AI outputs are reviewed by qualified professionals before delivery
- Ongoing improvement: We continuously monitor and improve our AI models to reduce bias and improve accuracy
- Right to opt-out: You can request human-only analysis without AI involvement (contact support@illuminatenow.io)
- Data access: You can request information about how your data was used in AI analysis
6. The Critical Role of Human Consultation
Our Service pairs AI analysis with expert human consultation for good reason. Our consultants:
- Review and interpret AI-generated insights in the context of your unique situation
- Ask clarifying questions that AI cannot
- Understand nuance, emotion, and context that AI misses
- Provide guidance based on years of experience working with students
- Help you critically evaluate AI recommendations
- Support you in making informed decisions that align with your values and goals
The AI provides data and patterns; human consultants provide wisdom and understanding.
7. Questions About AI Use
If you have questions or concerns about how AI is used in your Service, please contact us:
General Questions: support@illuminatenow.io
Privacy Concerns: privacy@illuminate.io
AI Opt-Out Requests: support@illuminatenow.io (subject: "AI Opt-Out Request")
In Summary
AI is a tool to help you think, not to make decisions for you.
Our AI provides insights based on patterns in data, but it has limitations and cannot account for everything that makes you unique. Use AI-generated recommendations as one input in your decision-making process, alongside human consultation, personal reflection, independent research, and professional advice.
You are responsible for your educational and career choices. We're here to support your thinking and exploration, but the final decision is—and should always be—yours.
Questions? Talk to your consultant during your sessions or contact us at support@illuminatenow.io.