The U.S. Department of the Interior is exploring artificial intelligence to help reduce its longstanding backlog of probate cases in tribal communities.

The backlog is tied to “fractionation,” where land parcels are inherited by multiple heirs, creating complex ownership patterns. This initiative remains in an internal evaluation phase, as officials seek ways to improve efficiency in managing these inheritance cases.

Elizabeth Peace, a spokeswoman for Interior, said AI could potentially be used to track and monitor complete probate packages, identify different types of estate distributions, read birth and death certificates to aid in data entry, scan historical records for accuracy, detect document alterations, and ensure all necessary documents are included before a probate package is filed with the Interior’s Office of Hearings and Appeals.

Federal agencies — including the Department of the Interior — are required to maintain an AI use case inventory. These inventories must identify any AI systems that pose rights or safety risks, outline implemented safeguards, and document any granted extensions or waivers. 

As of December 2024, the Department of the Interior had reported 180 publicly disclosed AI use cases, demonstrating compliance with these statutory and regulatory requirements