How to evaluate AI tools for I-9 compliance

Anyone responsible for managing I-9s knows that compliance doesn’t end after Section 2 is complete. Between rapidly changing TPS designations, evolving litigation, and shifting employment authorization requirements, what comes after Section 2 is becoming just as important—and just as difficult to manage.

That raises the question: How are employers supposed to keep up with rapidly changing compliance demands, especially when HR teams are already stretched thin and juggling a growing list of responsibilities?

It’s no surprise that employers are looking to AI as a potential answer. AI has become one of the biggest topics of conversation in HR technology, with nearly every vendor claiming to use it and nearly every product promising to save time. But when it comes to compliance-heavy workflows like I-9 and E-Verify, saving time isn’t enough.

The real question is: What separates useful AI from marketing hype?

If you’re evaluating AI as part of your I-9 and E-Verify workflows, here are the capabilities that matter most, and the questions you should be asking vendors to make sure the technology supports—rather than compromises—compliance.

The HR function that never sleeps: compliance

HR compliance doesn’t get much downtime. Nowadays, the changes are pretty much constant.

Just look at the latest TPS guidance. In June, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the current administration to terminate TPS for Haiti and Syria—putting more than 350,000 Haitian workers and thousands of Syrian workers at risk of losing both work authorization and protection from removal after months of court battles.

Throughout an employee’s tenure, HR teams may need to:

• Track upcoming reverification deadlines.
• Monitor employment authorization expiration dates
• Resolve missing or inconsistent information
• Complete outstanding employee actions.
• Review records for potential compliance issues
• Prepare for internal reviews or government audits

The challenge is keeping all of those moving parts in view and knowing what to do (and how to do it) when something changes. That’s where AI can fill a gap.

Where AI creates value

Keeps cases moving

Every I-9 case has a series of steps, deadlines, and follow-ups. Someone has to share the form, remind employees to complete their actions, track E-Verify, monitor reverification, and keep case information up to date.

AI can help manage many of those routine tasks in the background. That might include:

• Launching I-9 workflows
• Sending reminders and tracking deadlines
• Monitoring E-Verify activity
• Tracking reverification requirements
• Updating case status as work is completed
• Flagging cases that stall or need attention

Guides employees

Employees are part of the I-9 process, too. And questions don’t always arrive between 9 and 5.

AI-powered support can give employees immediate answers to common questions about completing their I-9, submitting documents, or taking the next step in the process.

For employers, that can mean fewer routine questions landing in an HR inbox and fewer employees getting stuck because they don’t know what to do next.

Something to keep in mind: Employers should understand what information the AI is trained on and how it handles questions that fall outside its scope. For I-9 workflows, that means looking for technology grounded in authoritative guidance, with a clear path to human support when needed.

Adds an extra layer of verification

AI can also help examine information and documents for potential issues.

Depending on the technology, that may include document verification, comparing a document photo with a selfie, or using liveness checks to help confirm that the person presenting the document is actually present.

These tools can provide a good first layer of defense. They also illustrate an important distinction: technology can identify something that needs attention without making the final compliance decision.

When a document or identity check raises a concern, the next step should be clear: route it to an expert for additional review.

Brings the right cases to the front of the line

With hundreds or thousands of I-9s in a system, there’s simply too much to keep track of manually.

AI can help prioritize which cases need human attention and which can continue through an established workflow. It can flag and escalate records based on factors like upcoming deadlines, document discrepancies, or missing information.

Think of it as an ever-present assistant working in the background that monitors records, surfaces potential risks, and helps direct human attention where it’s needed.

When AI needs a human

Human oversight should always be part of the workflow. Some I-9 and E-Verify cases will require judgment that AI can’t—and shouldn’t—make on its own. A document may raise a concern that needs review, an employee may have a complicated question, or an E-Verify TNC or reverification may require additional attention.

AI can help by identifying these exceptions and escalating them to the right person, whether that’s an HR professional, internal compliance team, trained specialist, or legal counsel. The goal of using AI isn’t to remove people from the process; it’s to make sure they’re focused where their expertise matters most.

A strong workflow should give the reviewer the relevant case information, preserve the history of what happened, and make it clear what action is needed. AI should help surface and organize the work, not make compliance decisions without human oversight.

Employer checklist: What to look for in AI-powered I-9 workflows

As AI becomes a standard feature across HR tech, employers should look beyond whether a provider uses AI and instead ask how it supports better compliance outcomes.

Here’s a checklist to take into your next vendor conversation.

Does it identify meaningful compliance issues?

Your tech should do more than automate routine tasks. Look for workflows that can identify missing information, upcoming obligations, incomplete actions, and unusual patterns that deserve additional attention.

Ask the vendor: What specific compliance issues can the AI identify?

Does it explain why a record was flagged?

Compliance teams need context when an alert appears. A useful solution should explain what it identified, why the record was flagged, and what information the reviewer needs to determine the next step.

Ask the vendor: What will our team see when the system flags a record?

Does it help your team prioritize?

Not every flagged record carries the same urgency or requires the same level of expertise. Look for technology that helps your team distinguish routine issues from situations that warrant additional review.

Ask the vendor: How does the system help us determine which records need attention first?

Does it support escalation?

Some situations can move through established workflows. Others may need review from a compliance specialist or legal counsel.

A strong AI tool should make it easy to route records to the appropriate person while preserving the information and history needed for review.

Ask the vendor: What happens after the system identifies an issue?

Is human review built into the process?

Look for workflows that clearly define where automation ends and where human decision-making begins. The system should also help document that review and maintain an audit-ready record.

Ask the vendor: Where does human review happen during the process, and how is it documented?

Does it fit into the workflows your team already manages?

AI works best when it supports the broader compliance process. As you evaluate your options, consider how it handles I-9 completion, E-Verify, reverification, employment authorization expiration dates, employee follow-up, and audit preparation.

Ask the vendor: How does this technology support our I-9 workflow from start to finish?

Take a closer look at AI and I-9 compliance with an immigration attorney

There’s a lot to consider when you’re evaluating AI for I-9 compliance. And when the stakes involve employment eligibility and constantly changing immigration requirements, it helps to hear directly from someone who works with those questions every day.

Join WorkBright CEO Chapelle Ryon and immigration attorney Kimberley (Best) Robidoux for our webinar, What AI can (and can't) do for I-9 compliance.

It’s a chance to hear directly from an immigration attorney about where AI can help, where it needs oversight, and what employers should keep in mind as these tools become part of the I-9 workflow. Sign up for the live session here.