TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE LAUNCHES AI CHATBOT ‘IRIS’ FOR 24/7 LICENSEE SUPPORT
The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) has officially introduced Iris, a new artificial intelligence-powered chatbot designed to provide 24/7 customer service support for the state’s more than 357,000 licensed professionals.
Named after Tennessee’s state flower, Iris follows a successful soft launch last August and is now fully active on the CORE and TDCI Regulatory Boards Division websites. Operating around the clock in both English and Spanish, the bilingual tool handles inquiries regarding state licensing requirements and looks up information on licensed individuals and businesses.
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Key Features: Iris securely accesses database applications without exposing personal data and seamlessly transfers users to human representatives when questions exceed its programming limits.
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Economic Impact: Officials note the tool particularly benefits professionals with nontraditional schedules, such as contractors, real estate agents, and motor vehicle salespersons.
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Workload Relief: The rollout aims to support TDCI’s busy Customer Service Center, which handled over 220,000 inquiries alongside more than 163,000 license applications last year.
Notably, department officials disabled comments on the announcement post, likely anticipating public criticism regarding the integration of AI technology.
