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.
About PSL
PSL is a global outsource provider whose mission is to provide solutions that facilitate the movement of business-critical information between and among government agencies, business enterprises, and their partners. For more information, please visit or email info@penielsolutions.com.