Still, some open government and civil rights advocates are already raising concerns that the government's move toward using AI to help address FOIA problems may create new ones. So far, government agencies haven't widely disclosed to the public what kinds of AI tools are being used, and in what fashion, Marshall said. But experts widely agree the FOIA process must be modernized and fixed, as requests can sometimes take months, even years, to fulfill. An increasing number of requesters have turned to the courts for help in prying records loose in a timely manner. The state department is now testing two AI models to help process FOIA requests, Stein said.

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Persons: —, Jason R, Adam Marshall, Marshall, they're, Michael Sarich, Eric F, Stein, that's, There's, Bradford Brown, Brown, Mitre, Baron, Clinton, Brett Max Kaufman Organizations: State Department, Justice Department, Centers for Disease Control, NBC News, University of Maryland, Freedom, Press, Justice Department's, Information, Department of Veterans Affairs, Justice, CDC, NBC, Mitre Corp, National Archives, Records Administration, Mitre Locations: —