The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has withheld documents about the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) use of artificial intelligence in housing policy decisions, according to WIRED. The withholding came in response to a public records request seeking information about how AI was employed in this policy area.
According to WIRED, HUD justified its refusal to release the documents in part by citing a privilege that does not actually exist. The publication did not specify which nonexistent privilege HUD invoked or provide additional details about the nature of the AI deployment in housing policy.
The incident raises questions about government transparency regarding AI use in federal agencies, particularly when such technology is applied to policy decisions affecting public services. The specific AI applications DOGE utilized for housing policy and the extent of their implementation remain unclear due to HUD’s document withholding.