The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to deploy Google's AI tools to assist with redacting Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. According to GitHub documents reviewed by The Washington Post, US Customs and Border Protection will use AI to recommend information that should be blacked out from FOIA documents. By the end of September, the DHS will apply AI to documents comprising over 10 percent of FOIA requests, roughly 100,000 to 140,000 files in total. DHS employees will review AI recommendations to ensure requesters receive "accurate and complete" information. Document redactions have gained attention following the Justice Department's release of Epstein files, which heavily redacted millions of documents. Other agencies are also adopting AI redaction tools: the Interior Department uses Microsoft tools for attorney-client information, the DOJ employs Veriton's aiWARE for video, and the Health and Human Services (HHS) is developing its own tool called FRED. While officials claim the technology will reduce processing times, critics warn it could lead to more withheld or missing documents. A FOIA expert at the University of Florida cautioned that AI redaction could become "a very powerful tool for secrecy."

An FDA spokesperson stated the agency is "responsibly exploring limited uses of AI to help FOIA staff process records more efficiently."