USPS introduces AI for improved customer service

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is planning significant changes in the coming weeks. A USPS executive announced that the agency will introduce artificial intelligence (AI) to improve customer service and operations. This new technology aims to speed up responses and make the call center system more efficient. Marc McCrery, a USPS vice president, shared these details during a conference. He noted that since the pandemic, the postal service has received a huge number of complaints, handling nearly 100 million calls and 13 million service requests. McCrery said there’s always room for improvement, even after managing these high volumes. The USPS is set to switch to a cloud-based call center platform this summer. This change will enable better package tracking and provide more accurate updates on delivery status. Currently, package complaints represent about 65% of customer issues. The new AI system hopes to give real-time updates on whether delivery delays are widespread or just affecting a few packages. However, the USPS is under pressure to make these changes. The Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency are closely watching the overhaul. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy sent a letter to Congress, highlighting urgent challenges the USPS faces, including issues with retail leases, counterfeit postage, costly federal laws, and regulatory restrictions. DeJoy pointed out that the USPS is dealing with around $1 billion in losses from counterfeit postage and estimated that unfunded mandates are costing the agency between $6 billion and $11 billion each year. He also stated that restrictive regulations have caused over $50 billion in losses. As changes loom, DeJoy is preparing to step down once a successor is found. Uncertainty surrounds the USPS as President Trump may consider an executive order that could restructure the agency.