Source: MidMichiganNow (UpNorthLive)

The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan sent a letter and submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services seeking clarity about an artificial intelligence case‑reading tool the department uses to process Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility. The ACLU says it lacks information about how the tool will be used, what safeguards exist to prevent erroneous denials of benefits, and how MDHHS will be transparent with the public and SNAP beneficiaries about application handling and the AI’s role. The department publicly unveiled the tool months earlier, describing it as intended to target fraud and reduce financial errors.

ACLU of Michigan Legal Director Bonsitu Kitaba‑Gaviglio is quoted expressing concern that AI systems reflect the errors and biases of their human trainers and that these systems affect individual people’s lives and benefits. The ACLU also requested documentation through FOIA that shows MDHHS complied with federal guidelines requiring disclosure of AI impacts. MDHHS told the news outlet it will provide a statement for the story; the ACLU submitted its letter and FOIA earlier in the week, and the department has five days from the submission date to respond.