Answering Employee Questions with Natural Language Processing in IRWorks
Description
The purpose of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) element of the IRWorks platform is to utilize natural language to respond to common user questions about IRWorks knowledge base (KB) articles and service catalogue items in the IRWorks Employee Center. This AI element is interpretive. At a high level, this is accomplished by using language models to train the agent to respond to user questions. The decision/judgement that this AI element uses is to search existing Knowledge Base (KBs)/service catalogue items, in conjunction with the user's defined access within IRWorks, to automate Tier 1 support by outputting (in natural language) answers and/or associated links that align to the customer's (natural language) query. Yes, humans are involved in reviewing the output - the AI element does not produce actionable items but produces information or links that are provided to the querying user for them to review and/or take manual actions. The population impacted by this decision is all IRWorks users, about 90K+ IRS employees.
Detailed example
Improve efficiency and optimize outputs for end users requesting services/information from within ticket / workflow management platform.
AI / analytics pattern
Natural Language Processing: AI that processes, interprets, and shares information in human language.
Automation level / stage
c) Deployed – The use case is being actively authorized or utilized to support the functions or mission of an agency.
Expected benefit
This functionality allows better understanding of user questions to direct them to better information allowing for quicker resolution of IT and HR queries and issues.
Audit / financial statement impact
The output is not presumed to be high-impact and is not used as the principal basis for significant decisions/actions
Controls / human review
ATO: Yes; PIA: Not published
Data needed
Knowledge Base Data for Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) including how to guides. IRS specific 'utterance' phrases that determine user intent. Vocabulary synonyms for words or phrases unique to IRS.