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Freedom of information request

Use of AI Tools and AI strategy

Freedom of information request reference
CAS-334385
Request resolved

Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information as held by your organisation:

  1. Are staff within your organisation under a general instruction to use AI or Generative AI tools to assist your work?
  2. Is your organisation currently using AI or Generative AI tools to assist your work?
  3. Does your organisation use AI or Generative AI tools as part of its recruitment processes?
  4. Does your organisation have an AI strategy?
  5. If your organization does not have an AI strategy, is it planning to have an AI strategy?

Outcome

Some information provided.

Response

I can confirm that The National Archives holds information relevant to your request and we are pleased to be able to provide this information to you.

We are unable to provide you with some of the information you have requested where it is covered by Section 21 of the FOI Act, which exempts information if it is already reasonably accessible by other means. For further information about why this exemption has been applied, please see the explanatory annex at the end of this letter.

Your request and our response

1. Are staff within your organisation under a general instruction to use AI or Generative AI tools to assist your work?

The National Archives staff have not been issued a general instruction to use AI or generative AI in their work.

2. Is your organisation currently using AI or Generative AI tools to assist your work?

Some of this information is available online. As such, Section 21 of the FOIA applies. Section 21 of the FOIA exempts information where information is reasonably accessible to the applicant by other means.

We are, however, happy to advise you on where you can find this information.

As set out in the Parliamentary Question answered on 4th February 2025 (National Archives: Artificial Intelligence), a limited number of approved AI and generative AI tools are in use, and this position remains current.

3. Does your organisation use AI or Generative AI tools as part of its recruitment processes?

No

4. Does your organisation have an AI strategy?

The National Archives does not have an official AI strategy. You may be interested to know, however, that The National Archives has an AI Policy. A copy of this has been attached for your reference.

5. If your organization does not have an AI strategy, is it planning to have an AI strategy?

AI is one of the main thematic areas that is emerging as part of our corporate strategy review, and strategic conversations about AI have taken place with The National Archives’ Board and with the Executive Team.

Annexe

Exemptions applied

Section 21: Information readily available to the applicant by other means

Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) does not oblige a public authority to provide information if it is already reasonably accessible by other means.

In this case the exemption applies because the information is already available on the UK Parliament website.

Further guidance on the application of this exemption can be found on the ICO's website.

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