Evidence retention is the controlled preservation of records that may be needed for later review, compliance checks, investigations, or dispute resolution. In AI-enabled workflows, useful records can include inputs and outputs, system versions, timestamps, decision logs, and documentation showing when a person reviewed or changed an automated recommendation.
These records help organizations reconstruct how a decision was made and support audits or challenges. In cyber security, retention can also aid incident investigations by preserving relevant logs before they are overwritten or altered. Retention should be proportionate and governed by clear policies: keep records long enough to meet legitimate legal and operational needs, protect them from unauthorized access or tampering, and dispose of them when no longer required.