The North Carolina Division of Employment Security (NCDES) has been named a 2025 AWS Champions Award winner for its successful deployment of a secure, generative AI-powered virtual assistant built on AWS. Launched in early 2025, this chatbot is helping transform how North Carolinians access unemployment insurance services by offering 24/7 assistance, reducing support center burdens, and delivering faster, more consistent guidance — especially during times of peak demand.

By thoughtfully integrating multiple AWS services and aligning implementation with AI risk management and ethical use principles, NCDES has built a model for responsible and effective AI deployment in government service delivery.

Project Overview
Traditionally, individuals seeking unemployment assistance in North Carolina had to rely on a support center. This often led to long wait times, especially during periods of high demand such as economic downturns or seasonal layoffs. Many users needed help with basic questions about eligibility, documentation, or filing status but couldn’t easily get support after hours or on weekends.

To solve this, NCDES developed and launched a generative AI chatbot that provides consistent, 24/7 support for common inquiries. The virtual assistant can respond to frequently asked questions, support multi-language deployment, guide users through online resources such as report forms, and offer reliable help without requiring a live agent. When more nuanced assistance is needed, users are smoothly directed to the right channels.

All chatbot responses are grounded in a curated internal knowledge base to ensure they’re accurate, safe, and aligned with agency policies. A fallback AI model is used selectively, with strong safeguards in place to prevent misinformation and protect user privacy.

Addressing a Critical Challenge: Access to Support When It Matters Most
Prior to implementation, claimants often experienced:

• Delays during high-volume periods, such as economic downturns or system outages 
• Limited access to support after business hours 
• Confusion during the initial claims process, leading to mistakes or delays in eligibility determination 
• High call volumes that overwhelmed contact centers and reduced the quality of assistance 

NCDES needed a solution that would not only offload repetitive, low-complexity tasks but also deliver a consistent and trustworthy customer experience without increasing risk.

Impact: More Accessible Services and Smarter Operations
Since going live in February 2025, the AI-powered assistant has:

• Handled over 2,700 inquiries in its first month — requests that would have otherwise required human agent intervention 
• Reduced support center load, freeing up staff to focus on complex or sensitive cases 
• Provided round-the-clock service, making it easier for users to get help at their convenience 
• Improved the online claims experience by offering clearer answers and guiding users to relevant resources 

Internally, NCDES also gained valuable insights into user behavior and root causes for inquiries, which the agency is leveraging to improve its knowledge base, website consistency, and claims intake process. Custom dashboards allow the agency to track inquiry trends, flag knowledge gaps, and refine chatbot behavior in real time.

“This award reflects the power of collaboration — between our business and technology teams, and with trusted partners at AWS, EY, and Capgemini. Together, we delivered a secure, responsible AI solution that is transforming how North Carolinians access unemployment services — making them more accessible, consistent, and citizen-centered.” — Raju Gadiraju, CIO, North Carolina Division of Employment Security

A Blueprint for Responsible AI in Government
The North Carolina Division of Employment Security has created a replicable model for how public sector organizations can use generative AI to improve digital services while protecting public trust. Its thoughtful, phased rollout of an AWS-powered virtual assistant is already delivering measurable impact for claimants, support staff, and agency leadership.