We’ve written previously about the many ways U.S. government agencies are pilot testing or outright starting to use AI in records management. However, for records managers still trying to understand or build the business case for adopting AI-powered tools, it might be helpful to do a deeper dive into the specific ways that AI can accelerate and streamline records management processes. Here are five areas in which AI can potentially accelerate the records management function.

1. Document Classification

Traditional manual classification of documents is labor-intensive and prone to human error. Among medical records, for instance, one study found an error rate of 21.1%—more than one out of every five records! AI, however, can use machine learning algorithms to automatically categorize documents based on content and context, working both faster and more accurately. That’s the finding from a study published in the journal Collection and Curation: “AI adeptly categorizes data according to predefined criteria, significantly enhancing the efficiency of searching and retrieving records.”

2. Content Analysis and Insight Generation

AI excels at analyzing large datasets to uncover patterns and generate insights. In records management, AI can assess document content to identify trends, anomalies, or compliance issues, providing actionable intelligence that informs decision-making and policy development. In fact, in some ways, AI can turn records into conversable agents. “By using Document Generative AI, you can now chat with your documents,” writes Microsoft on its Azure AI Services Blog. It cites the example of a human user conversationally “chatting” with invoicing records (via AI) to understand why they received an unusually high invoice and who approved it. This can make not just record retrieval but detailed data retrieval from inside records much faster.

Nextgov/FCW offers another example of AI-driven insight extraction. “For instance, FOIA requests submitted to Immigration and Customs Enforcement tend to be on similar topics (border crossings, border retention, etc.),” they write. “Identifying data clusters about those keywords decreases the number of documents ICE would need to review when responding to a request, while also ensuring that they don’t miss any relevant information.”

3. Workflow Automation and Process Improvement

AI can automate repetitive tasks such as data entry, document routing, and approval processes, streamlining workflows and again reducing the potential for human error. This leads to faster processing times and allows staff to focus on more strategic activities. If nothing else, AI can potentially help to manage records’ lifecycle, including managing and adhering to retention and disposal schedules.

How much of a difference does this make? Thomson Reuters predicts that AI could save professionals in certain sectors, like law and accounting, up to four hours weekly (200 hours annually). “For US lawyers alone, that is a combined 266 million hours of increased productivity. That could translate into $100,000 in new, billable time per lawyers each year, based on current average rates, with similar productivity gains projected across various professions.” It’s likely similar time savings are possible in records management specifically as well.

4. Metadata Generation

Accurate metadata is essential for effective document retrieval and management. AI can automatically extract and generate metadata by analyzing document content, thereby eliminating the need for manual entry. This automation improves searchability and ensures that documents are appropriately tagged, facilitating efficient information retrieval. In other words, AI can sort and tag documents much faster than a human can. This “amplifies an agency’s resources by learning from the decisions people have made to surface related data without the continued resource drain of manual review,” writes Nextgov/FCW.

Before you rush into the AI marketplace, however, consider two points. First, AI is not a cure-all for every problem or challenge facing records managers, and it’s certainly not a wholesale replacement for people. Before deploying any AI technology, organizations need to fully understand both their capabilities and their limitations. Second, records managers should be wary of AI-specific tools and instead favor records management platforms (ERMs) that integrate AI functionality. The latter will be better geared toward the needs and desires—and compliance requirements—of records managers than the former.

That said, by automating routine tasks and enhancing data analysis capabilities, AI does potentially offer genuine and substantial time savings and operational efficiencies in records management.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming records management across government agencies, offering the promise of automation, efficiency, and improved compliance. As one technology leader told CIO Magazine, “There is not much that isn’t being impacted or at least assessed to see how AI can be adopted. Everything from data processing, marketing, customer support, business content/records, as well as security.”

However, while AI presents significant opportunities, records managers should approach its use carefully. These are still relatively early days for AI, and common pitfalls in the records management function, including misclassification of records, compliance risks, and unmonitored automation errors, loom large. So, how can agencies ensure their AI-driven records management is reliable, compliant, and—ultimately—working as intended?

‘Proceed, But Don’t Over-Pivot’

This recommendation to avoid “over-pivoting” comes from technology advisory group Gartner, which writes, “Recognize that this is very early stage and much of what you are hearing is hype.” In other words, a phased approach allows agencies to test AI applications in controlled settings, one step at a time, ensuring that automated processes align with compliance requirements and operational goals. Be patient. “Take a multiyear approach,” Gartner recommends.

Keep Your Expectations in Check

Government agencies must remain realistic about what AI can achieve. Many agencies look for AI to boost efficiency, yet vague goals like “increased productivity” can be difficult to quantify or measure. Worse, many of AI’s more enthusiastic proponents may want it to solve problems that remain out of its reach, at least for the moment. As Gartner warns, “Don’t expect AI to be a holy grail.”

Focus on Measurable Metrics

Organizations should define measurable performance metrics. These might include reductions in retrieval times for public records, accuracy rates in classification, or compliance adherence levels. Setting clear, trackable KPIs allows agencies to determine whether their AI systems are truly delivering value. Without measurable benchmarks, it becomes impossible to assess whether AI is making a meaningful impact on operations.

Use ERMs with Integrated AI, Not AI-Only Platforms

When integrating AI into records management, agencies should rely on Electronic Records Management (ERM) platforms with AI features rather than standalone AI solutions. ERMs are designed to handle the regulatory and compliance complexities of government record-keeping. They provide structured data governance, ensuring that AI operates within predefined retention and classification frameworks. AI-only platforms, on the other hand, may lack the necessary compliance controls and could introduce risks by operating outside established legal frameworks.

Proof AI Outputs: Monitor and Audit AI Performance Regularly

AI tools can enhance efficiency, but they must be carefully monitored. Without human validation, AI can amplify mistakes instead of correcting them. As one healthcare CISO told CIO Magazine, “I have concerns about AI tools being used unintelligibly. Many folks see AI and say, ‘I don’t need to proof this,’ without realizing that Gen AI is susceptible to quality issues and hallucinations. So if someone relies entirely on AI for clinical decision support without reviewing that, then eventual patient harm is the likely result.”

In records management, failing to validate AI outputs can lead to improper document classification, lost records, or even non-compliance with legal mandates. Recommended steps include:

• Accuracy Testing: Reviewing a sample of AI-classified records to ensure correct categorization.
• Retention Compliance Checks: Verifying that documents flagged for deletion align with agency policies.
• Bias Detection: Analyzing whether AI prioritizes certain types of records in searches over others, potentially leading to unintended biases.

Ensure AI Can Adapt to Changing Regulations

Government regulations evolve frequently, and AI systems must be flexible enough to accommodate new compliance requirements. The Harvard Business Review highlights the importance of regulatory adaptability: “Anyone hiring in New York City, for instance, will have to ensure their AI-powered recruitment and hiring tech doesn’t violate the City’s ‘automated employment decision tool’ law.”

Similarly, agencies using AI for records management must ensure that automated classification, retention, and access controls remain compliant as the broad array of applicable laws change. This may require periodic software updates, retraining AI models, or working with vendors to ensure ongoing compliance with new mandates.

Only with the Right Approach Can AI Deployments Deliver Desired Efficiency Gains

AI is reshaping government records management, but its success depends on careful implementation, ongoing monitoring, and a commitment to regulatory compliance. By setting realistic expectations, taking a phased approach, using ERMs with integrated AI, auditing AI outputs, and ensuring adaptability to changing laws, agencies can harness AI’s potential while mitigating risks. AI is not a “holy grail,” but when implemented thoughtfully, it can be a powerful tool for modernizing government operations.

A well-structured records management program is essential for compliance, efficiency, and risk mitigation, but there are clear signs that indicate when outside assistance may be helpful or even necessary. If your organization struggles with growing backlogs of unorganized records, frequent compliance violations, or difficulty responding to audits and legal requests, these are red flags that internal resources may not be sufficient. The emergence of new regulations, evolving data security threats, and the increasing complexity of digital records management can also signal that external expertise is required to ensure your program remains effective and legally compliant as the landscape shifts. Here are three critical indicators that your organization could benefit from outside help with these issues.

You’re Struggling to Manage Resource Constraints

Limited staffing and budgetary resources can impede the proper management of records. “The records management community . . . has the same challenges that every other area within the federal government has,” Ron Swecker, Program Manager at U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Co-Chair of the Federal Records Officer Network, told Federal News Network. “And those are budgetary constraints. So I hear a lot of, we just don’t have the budget to move fast enough or to meet specific deadlines.”

Outsourcing allows organizations to leverage specialized expertise without the overhead costs of hiring and training new personnel. Outsourcing can get you access to better tools and better expertise at economy-of-scale pricing. Even just moving to a cloud-based records management platform can yield enormous budgetary benefit. Advisory firm Accenture estimates that moving applications and workloads to the cloud can decrease the related Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) by 30-40%.

“We are able to accomplish much more with much less, which is something that gets passed back to the citizens in a multitude of ways,” agrees County Clerk Juli Luke in comments to GovOS.

You’re Running into Technological Limitations

Another type of resource constraint that’s worth calling out on its own is insufficient technological capabilities, especially in the face of a rapidly digitizing government. If your organization lacks the technology to digitize and manage records effectively, it may hinder efficiency and accessibility. Partnering with a provider that offers advanced records management technology can bridge this gap.

“We need to move on beyond just digitization and provide automation into the processes themselves, and in managing those records,” Swecker says. “I think that’s where the convergence of the traditional records and information management discipline comes together with other disciplines like data management.” In other words, modern demands on records managers requires more domain expertise and technological capabilities than may be readily available within the records management function.

You’re Drowning under an Overwhelming Volume of Records

When the accumulation of records surpasses the capacity of your current system, leading to storage issues and retrieval delays, it’s a clear sign that external help is needed. The 2023 SAORM reports make clear this is very much an issue for many federal agencies. For example, the Department of Energy (DOE) writes in its own report, “Due to the volume of temporary paper records and the lack of available resources, DOE will not meet [NARA’s digitization] requirement.”

It’s not just the conversion to digital records that’s falling behind. The number of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests has surged over the past several years even as the ability of government agencies to comply with these requests has fallen. “We looked back over the last decade looking at data from 2013 up through 2022, and we found that backlogs government wide have nearly doubled to a little bit over 200,000 at the end of fiscal year 2022,” Jay McTigue, the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s Director of Strategic Issues, told the Federal News Network. “This reflects a long-term trend, a persistent challenge for federal agencies.”

Outsourcing and the adoption of advanced Electronic Records Management (ERM) platforms can provide scalable solutions to manage—including organizing and retrieving—large volumes of records efficiently.

Recognize When to Seek External Assistance

By monitoring key indicators like those described above, your organization can make informed decisions about engaging external expertise. Outsourcing records management not only addresses these challenges but also offers additional benefits, including cost savings, access to specialized knowledge, and scalability. Ultimately, partnering with external professionals can ensure your records management program remains robust and effective in an ever-evolving landscape.

For a guide on where and how to find qualified help, read our guide on the topic: “How to Find an Effective, Trustworthy Records Management Technology Vendor.”