As public records requests continue to rise, a new paper in AI & Society argues that artificial intelligence could play a key role in helping government agencies manage the growing demand. 

Jason R. Baron, a professor at the University of Maryland and member of the National Archivist’s FOIA Advisory Committee, makes the case for adopting AI-assisted e-discovery methods—commonly used in the legal world—to improve how agencies locate and review records. Known as “technology-assisted review,” these tools can help streamline searches, reduce human error, and respond more efficiently to complex Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. 

Baron also explores how tools like ChatGPT might assist records custodians in drafting clearer explanations when applying exemptions, such as the deliberative process exemption, which protects internal government discussions from disclosure. 

This is not Baron’s first foray into AI and records access. He previously tested the potential of AI in government records retrieval in a 2022 study. His latest work comes as the Department of Justice reports a 25% increase in FOIA requests—rising from 1.2 million in 2023 to 1.5 million in 2024—adding urgency to conversations about modernizing FOIA workflows. 

Posted: May 15, 2025
Category: Brechner News
Tagged as: Brechner FOI Project, Brechner Freedom of Information Project, Government Transparency, open records laws, public records