US Customs and Border Protection plans to use Google AI to recommend what information to redact from Freedom of Information Act responses. The move is intended to speed up processing, but raises concerns that automated recommendations could increase secrecy or obscure information the public is entitled to receive.

By the end of September, the Department of Homeland Security expects AI to be used on documents covering more than 10 per cent of its FOIA requests, estimated at 100,000 to 140,000. DHS staff will review the recommendations before release. Other agencies are also using or developing AI redaction tools, including the Interior Department, the Justice Department and Health and Human Services.