Lawsuit seeks agency details on AI’s role in Trump’s deregulation push
A nonprofit legal group is suing a handful of federal agencies, calling on the federal bodies to release documents related to the use of artificial intelligence to carry out the Trump administration’s “deregulation agenda.”
The lawsuit, filed by Democracy Forward on Wednesday, asks a court to require the General Services Administration, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to comply with public records laws amid concerns over how AI is being used to “weaken” existing federal regulations.
Democracy Forward said it reviewed both public records and documents obtained through FOIA requests and found GSA plays a “central role” in the White House’s efforts to overhaul regulations.
The nonprofit cited an apparent email trail, in which a GSA-affiliated email informs other agencies of “significant progress” in reviewing its internal and external policies to ensure consistency with President Donald Trump’s directives.
“To date, GSA has rescinded or revised over 36 policies, resulting in the elimination or revision of 100,286 words of regulation,” the email stated. “We invite you to undertake a similar review for your agency to ensure alignment of agency policies with the President’s priorities.”
The email attached a policy review playbook and template spreadsheet that agencies can use to guide and track their progress, according to documents posted by Democracy Forward. The emails, according to the nonprofit, also detailed plans for GSA’s AI evaluation suite and agency recommendations on removing federal regulations and rules.
The mention of an evaluation tool likely refers to the GSA’s USAi tool, launched in August, which allows federal agencies to test several models before procuring them from the federal market.
The suit further pointed to reports of an AI tool called SweetREX developed by an affiliate of the Department of Government Efficiency. The tool, Wired reported, would use AI to review federal regulations and flag those it “thinks” can be eliminated.
“While the administration’s interest in expanding the use of AI has been widely reported, official documents regarding AI policies have not been released,” Democracy Forward wrote in a press release. “Democracy Forward filed requests seeking additional information under the Freedom of Information Act in June and July of this year, and though the government acknowledged receipt of the requests, it did not provide the information requested in the timeline required by public record laws.”
Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, argued AI is a tool, but “must be ethically and skillfully utilized.”
“AI is also not a replacement for the skilled professionals in our civil service who work to protect the health, safety, wages, and rights of millions of Americans,” Perryman said.
A GSA spokesperson told FedScoop that the agency does not comment on active lawsuits, while OPM referred the matter to the Justice Department for comment. The DOJ said it doesn’t respond to this type of inquiry during the government shutdown, while neither HUD nor OMB responded to a request for comment.
Democracy Forward is also representing a coalition of groups in a separate lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s creation of databases to consolidate the sensitive and personal information of Americans.
