1. Purpose and Scope 

SCottie is an artificial intelligence–powered tool provided by the Municipal Association of South Carolina (the “Association”) to assist permitted users in exploring municipal governance, through materials made available by MASC. The tool is intended for informational and educational purposes only. 

SCottie is not intended to provide medical, accounting, or legal advice. It is a research tool.  

2. Permitted Users 

The Association shall determine, in its sole discretion, who is authorized to access and use SCottie. Access is limited to individuals expressly permitted by the Association and may not be shared, transferred, or used by any unauthorized person. The Association may suspend, restrict, or revoke a user's access to SCottie at any time, with or without notice and with or without cause, in its sole discretion. 

3. Informational Use Only 

Responses generated by SCottie are automatically produced by an artificial intelligence system and are not reviewed, verified, or approved by the Association prior to display. The Association makes no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability, or suitability of any AI-generated content. 

SCottie is not a substitute for professional advice, including legal, financial, or other regulated guidance. Users should independently verify all information and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations before relying on or implementing any materials generated by SCottie. Users are encouraged to seek appropriate professional guidance prior to taking action based on SCottie’s outputs.  

4. No Submission of Sensitive Information 

Users must not submit personal, confidential, sensitive, or protected information through SCottie, including but not limited to health data, financial information, account numbers, authentication credentials, or private identifiers. 

Any information submitted may be processed by third-party systems for the purpose of generating responses. 

Any information submitted may be reviewed by the Association in its discretion.  

5. Intellectual Property 

All Association content referenced, summarized, or linked through SCottie remains the property of the Association or its licensors. Materials generated by SCottie are the property of the Association and are provided for informational use only; they may not be sold, licensed, or otherwise used for commercial purposes. Information submitted by users through SCottie may be accessed and reviewed by the Association at its discretion. Use of SCottie does not grant users any ownership rights in Association content, AI-generated responses, or underlying materials. 

6. No Warranties 

SCottie is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or availability. 

7. Limitation of Liability 

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Association shall not be liable for any damages, losses, or adverse outcomes arising from the use of or reliance on SCottie, including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages. 

8. User Responsibility 

Users are solely responsible for how they interpret and apply information provided by SCottie. Users agree to verify important information using original Association publications or other authoritative sources and to exercise appropriate judgment before taking any action. 

9. Service Availability and Changes 

The Association may update, modify, limit, suspend, or discontinue SCottie at any time without notice. The Association does not guarantee uninterrupted access or consistent performance. 

10. Acceptance of Terms 

By accessing or using SCottie, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms of Use, and any other applicable terms and conditions governing your use of SCottie.