Are AI chats subject to the Official Information Act?

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Jodie O'Neill Chief People, Culture + Capability Officer Contact me

AI is already being used inside government. The question is whether agencies are ready for what that means for transparency and accountability.

This think piece works through a question that sounds simple but isn't: are AI chat logs subject to the Official Information Act? The short answer is yes, but most agencies aren't set up to respond to requests for them, and reaching for the substantial collation exemption won't hold forever.

The piece covers what the OIA actually requires, why AI fundamentally changes the volume and retrieval challenge, and three practical steps agencies can take now to get ahead of the problem.