Government
AI prompts and outputs may be public records
What a city clerk should ask before staff start using an AI assistant on city files.
By Paul Engerman and Tracy Engerman ·
When a staff member asks an assistant to draft a memo from city files, three things now exist: the prompt, the output, and the files it drew on. Each may be a record.
Questions to ask
- Where are prompts and outputs stored, and by whom?
- Do retention schedules cover them?
- Could a records request reach them, and who would search?
This is not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your city or county attorney.
What sub-score 1.3 measures
Data quality and governance asks whether records are labeled, retained, and searchable under rules people actually follow.
The fix
A records and retention alignment engagement maps AI use onto your existing schedules so the answer is ready before anyone asks.