Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano has outlined his plan to modernize the agency’s customer service and IT systems within his first year on the job. The new head of the Social Security Administration aims to reduce call wait times to single digits, using artificial intelligence tools.
Currently, SSA’s average speed to answer calls is around 20 minutes, with less than half of all calls being answered. Callers who request a callback take about an hour and 36 minutes to receive their response. The agency has over 6 million pending actions, and Bisignano plans to tour a processing center in Queens, New York, on Friday.
Bisignano said SSA will invest $1.5 trillion annually in programs and services, but aims to use technology more efficiently to reduce wait times. He also plans to overhaul the agency’s website, allowing more beneficiaries to get their questions answered online.
The agency currently has its lowest level of staffing in 50 years, but Bisignano said he will increase IT modernization spending to acquire tools that make employees more productive. SSA received low employee satisfaction scores last year, but Bisignano promises to improve morale and the client experience through investments in technology and training.
Bisignano’s plan includes using automation to expedite over $15 billion in retroactive payments to 2.3 million individuals affected by certain provisions of Social Security. He also plans to prioritize complex cases that require manual updates, but is working to process these cases efficiently without deferring other workloads.
Source: https://federalnewsnetwork.com/it-modernization/2025/05/ssa-will-get-call-wait-times-down-to-single-digits-using-ai-commissioner-tells-employees