This year, the German Digital Day is focusing on the opportunities offered by AI. Machine learning and AI are increasingly becoming integral parts of digital business processes. They are helping to create new services for citizens and relieve staff of time-consuming, routine tasks. The BA is harnessing the opportunities offered by the use of AI with assistance systems and the expansion of its internal automation processes.

From speech recognition software to the automated creation of job offers: the use of AI and machine learning is picking up speed

In the area of the Family Benefits Office, for example, the BA requires corresponding proof-of-study certificates for the continued authorisation of Child Benefit payments to students. Each year, the BA team was required to check the validity of more than 150,000 proof-of-study certificates. Now, an AI solution is checking the authenticity of the proof-of-study certificates submitted. The BA has largely automated the processing of applications in this field. 

AI-based speech recognition is also making life considerably easier for the specialist services provided by the BA, such as its Medical Service and the Occupational Psychology Service. Documents such as expert opinions and statements using extensive specialist vocabulary that were previously written by hand are now being issued automatically with the use of digital speech recognition.

And the staff in the Employer Service department at the BA are also pleased about an AI program which structures the considerable amounts of information on job application forms and emails from employers and automatically generates job offers. All the team members need to do is to check the proposals that are generated. This reduces their workload and gives them more time to provide personalised advice.

Automation and demographic change go hand in hand

Andrea Nahles, Chair of the Executive Board of the BA: “Over the next ten years, approximately 40 per cent of our colleagues are set to leave us due to retirement and staff turnover. We need digitalisation and automation so that we can continue to offer our services at the same – or an even higher – standard. Relieving our employees of routine tasks means that we have more time to provide personalised advice and respond to individual enquiries. Our customers will continue to be able to contact us in a variety of modern ways, regardless of time and location.”

“Human-friendly” automation

Stefan Latuski, CIO of the BA: “Almost no other technological development has shaped digital society as much as the rapid advances in the area of AI has. Many citizens are now of the opinion that AI can help bring about positive changes to public administration services. What is crucial here is that AI and automation go hand in hand and that they are designed to be human friendly. We can only ensure acceptance and empowerment if we put our staff at the centre of the automation processes, motivate them to join the technological changes and get them excited to undertake further training. AI can support decision-making, but people should always be the ones to make the final decisions.”

Further information on the AI Competence Centre of the IT systems of the BA and the possible uses of AI is available at: https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/vor-ort/it-systemhaus/themen/advanced-analytics (available in German).

Wichtig:Important: German Digital Day 
The Digital Day is sponsored by the “Digital für alle” initiative (digital for all), which brings together 28 organisations from the fields of civil society, culture, science, business, welfare and the public sector. Its goal is to encourage digital participation. The action day provides a platform to shed light on various aspects of digitalisation and for discussing opportunities and challenges. Information on the Digital Day: https://digitaltag.eu/ (available in German)