If you have a question for Social Security these days, be ready to speak with a robot. More than four in ten calls to SocialSecurity now go directly to the bot. Unfortunately, if you end up talking to the bot, you might not get the answers you need, reports Darius Tahir for Kaiser Health News.
The robot or chatbox is powered by AI. But, experts say it’s not yet ready for prime time. It was non-responsive to a key-press and too often not providing the answers people were looking for.
When the Biden administration tested the robot, it did not do the needed job. So it was not rolled out. The Trump administration has now launched it. The problem, according to Social Security’s chief information order under Biden, is that it will confuse a lot of people. People with Social Security depend on good customer service from the agency.
The good news: After a while, if the bot is not answering your questions, it should transfer you to a live agent. Still, for the vast majority of the 74 million people getting Social Security benefits, knowing their check is coming is critical. Nearly 25 million of them depend on it for food and other basic necessities.
Republicans in Congress appear concerned about the shift to bots. In a letter to the Social Security Administration, they report that their constituents are complaining to them about “inadequate customer service” at Social Security.
The Social Security Commissioner Bisignano applauds the tech at Social Security, without acknowledging its limitations. Of course, he does. The SSA has never had so few staff, as a result of administration cuts.
What’s insane is that Social Security contributions cover the cost of needed staff, not general tax revenue. Still, Congress won’t appropriate the money needed out of the Social Security Trust Funds. More staffing has been needed for some time.
While good tech upgrades at Social Security are not necessarily a bad thing, bad tech is always a bad thing. If you’re having trouble getting what you need from the Social Security Administration, let your representatives in Congress know.
Here’s more from Just Care:
- DOGE causes chaos at Social Security
- Expand Social Security, don’t means test it
- When to claim Social Security benefits
- 2025: Our Social Security system remains strong!
- Nancy Altman testifies in Congress on the importance of strengthening Social Security
