The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) deployed an artificial intelligence (AI) agent that handles about 100,000 traveler conversations each month and resolves 96% of routine inquiries without human escalation, Salesforce said Sept. 14.
The AI agent, called Ace, went live during the summer travel surge as part of TSA’s broader customer service modernization effort. The agent was built with Salesforce Public Sector Solutions and operates on the FedRAMP-authorized Salesforce Government Cloud.
Salesforce said Ace has reduced the cost of traveler interactions by more than 90%. TSA applications supporting the broader modernization effort are projected to generate $11 million in labor-based savings over three years, according to Salesforce.
Ace handles routine questions such as how travelers should pack liquids or navigate security checkpoints with medical devices, while directing more complex cases to TSA employees.
“Nearly three million people travel through U.S. airports every day, and a simple question shouldn’t stand between them and a smooth trip,” said Kendall Collins, CEO of Missionforce and Government Cloud at Salesforce, in a press release.
“TSA’s new Ace AI agent gives travelers fast, accurate answers before they reach the checkpoint – from what they can pack to how they can prepare – while helping TSA officers stay focused on their essential security mission,” Collins said.
TSA’s modernization effort began with two applications designed to consolidate traveler information and reduce manual workflows.
The Customer Service Managers App brings together passenger inquiries from email, phone, and social media, while the TSA Cares App connects assistance requests from travelers with medical conditions or other circumstances to TSA contact center and regional coordination teams.
Salesforce said the applications created a centralized repository of traveler interactions that Ace uses to provide responses based on TSA guidance. The agency also uses Salesforce Shield for additional security and monitoring capabilities.
Beyond traveler inquiries, Salesforce projects that automating 70,000 internal data-sharing transactions each year – work that previously took about 10 minutes per transaction – will free more than 11,660 staff hours annually.
The company said TSA previously needed the equivalent of 12 full-time employees to manage excess workloads. Ace is intended to absorb routine work and backlogs so employees can focus on higher-priority cases requiring human involvement.
“It’s our job to streamline processes, to help keep wait times down, to get even one more passenger through the security process without having to think about what just happened,” said Niki French, customer experience branch manager at TSA’s Office of Civil Rights & Liberties, Ombudsman, and Traveler Engagement.
“If we can help the traveling public easily access accurate, timely information, we can help alleviate stress in the field on travel days and increase the TSA’s overall effectiveness,” French said.