Award Force, the leading platform for awards management, has launched new AI tools designed with a secure, privacy-first approach for awards programs worldwide. The announcement represents a significant development in how artificial intelligence can be responsibly integrated into professional evaluation systems while maintaining strict data protection standards.
The importance of this launch lies in its departure from common AI implementation models that rely on third-party processing. Unlike many technology providers, Award Force's AI tools operate entirely within the company's own secure virtual private cloud (VPC), ensuring all data remains private, fully compliant and never leaves the Award Force environment. This approach addresses growing concerns about data privacy and security in AI applications, particularly for organizations handling sensitive information.
"We didn't set out to add just another AI feature," said Richard de Nys, Managing Director of Award Force. "We set out to build a responsible foundation for the future—one that supports awards managers in meaningful, practical ways, while protecting the integrity of their data at every step." This philosophy reflects broader industry concerns about data sovereignty and control in an increasingly AI-driven landscape.
The practical implications for awards program managers are substantial. The first feature in the AI tools suite is AI fields, a new field type that allows program managers to use natural language prompts to analyze entries, summarize content, generate consistent feedback and assist judging processes directly within Award Force. Once activated, managers can summarize or analyze entries automatically or manually, generate fair, consistent feedback for entrants, support judges with contextual insights, and control when and how AI responses are generated and shared.
A critical aspect of the implementation is its opt-in nature. Participation is completely optional, and program managers must actively enable AI tools within their Award Force accounts. Unless activated, no data is shared with any AI systems, ensuring total isolation for organizations not yet ready to adopt the technology. "It's your data, and it's your choice," said de Nys. "We believe AI should be a tool you invite in, not something quietly running behind the scenes."
Users also have flexibility in choosing the LLM models they trust, such as Claude Sonnet, GPT OSS, Qwen3 and more, depending on location. This model selection capability allows organizations to align their AI tools with their specific compliance requirements and trust preferences. All AI interactions take place entirely within the Award Force environment, giving program managers full flexibility and control over visibility and use.
The broader impact of this development extends beyond immediate functionality. AI fields represent the first step in a broader, forward-looking initiative by Award Force to deliver a family of intelligent, secure AI features across its platform. Future releases will continue to expand AI capabilities with the same guiding principles of safety, fairness and practicality. "This is just the beginning," de Nys said. "We're building an AI foundation our clients can grow with, responsibly and securely."
For the awards management industry, this announcement sets a new standard for how AI can be integrated while maintaining data integrity. Organizations managing awards programs often handle sensitive information, including proprietary submissions, personal data of entrants, and confidential judging criteria. The Award Force approach demonstrates that AI efficiency gains don't require compromising on data security or control. This development is particularly relevant as more organizations seek to leverage AI capabilities while navigating increasingly strict data protection regulations worldwide.
The significance of this launch extends to how it addresses fairness concerns in evaluation processes. By providing tools that generate consistent feedback and support judges with contextual insights, the AI tools have potential to reduce bias and increase standardization in awards programs. This addresses a longstanding challenge in subjective evaluation processes where consistency can be difficult to maintain across multiple judges or evaluation periods.
For more information about Award Force's approach to awards management, visit https://www.awardforce.com. The company's commitment to security and privacy in AI implementation represents a meaningful development in how technology providers can balance innovation with responsibility in sensitive application areas.
