Two Separate Law Firms Assigned to Probe Scandal Involving Home Affairs AI Policy Document

The Department of Home Affairs has retained two independent law firms to review its policy documents after it was discovered that Artificial Intelligence (AI) was used to generate citations in a major government report.

This action comes on the heels of the suspension of two senior officials following the discovery of AI-generated references in a Cabinet-approved revised white paper addressing citizenship, immigration, and refugee protection.

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In an official statement, the department indicated that the dubious citations appeared to have been added after the primary document was completed.

Home Affairs Suspends Officials Due to AI-Generated References

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber expressed remorse, acknowledging a lapse in oversight after it was disclosed that the reference section of the policy document was produced with AI tools.

Despite facing criticism, the department has stressed that the core content of the document remains intact, with only the references highlighted as problematic.

Two senior officials have been suspended for compiling the AI-generated reference list, while a third has faced consequences for insufficient supervision during the process.

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To address the issue, two independent law firms have been assigned the task of managing disciplinary measures and conducting a comprehensive review of all policy documents produced by the department since 2022.

This evaluation seeks to assess whether similar issues exist in other official documents and to strengthen accountability within the department’s internal processes.

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The Department of Communications, led by a Democratic Alliance minister, is also under scrutiny following the disclosure that AI tools were used to draft the national AI policy.

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