Records Management Implications for Internet of Things, Robotic Process Automation, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) performed a review and analysis of Internet of Things (IoT), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Machine Learning (ML), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), collectively referred to in this paper as cognitive technologies. The goal was to provide forward-thinking perspectives on these technologies and their potential impact on Federal records management.

This white paper provides a basic description for each of the cognitive technologies, examples of their various applications, and several enabling factors affecting the technologies. It focuses on common algorithm training methods and how the programming advances from providing basic outputs and functions into more intuitive or AI enabled systems. AI may provide nuances in human-like decision-making and this white paper explains biases and ethical concerns related to the development and training of algorithms.