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Assistive Chatbot

Chatbot that answers caseworkers’ questions in real time

Nava Labs has developed and piloted an AI-powered chatbot for caseworkers to use while on the phone with clients. The chatbot responds to questions with a generated answer and direct-quote source citations, enabling caseworkers to get quick information while verifying answers. Our goal is to help caseworkers quickly research and interpret complex program requirements.

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I don’t have to go outside of the chatbot to go and search for [answers]. So, being able to just have that response on hand within seconds for our students was amazing, instead of ‘let me write down all the questions you have and I’ll go and search for them, and then I’ll read them back to you later on.’

Caseworker

Case studies and insights

Illustration of a white man sitting at a table talking to a middle-aged indigenous Hawaiian woman who’s wearing glasses and typing on a laptop.
Nava Labs

Building a trustworthy AI chatbot

Nava Labs is prototyping and piloting an AI chatbot for caseworkers to use when helping families find and enroll in public benefit programs.

Learning how caseworkers use our AI-powered chatbot

5 reasons caseworkers use it — and 5 barriers that slow or stop use

Three people sit at a table with paper, pens, and laptops.
Nava Labs

Refining an AI chatbot that cites its sources

We tried 3 approaches to providing an AI-powered chatbot with source data, aiming to better assist staff who connect people with public benefits.

Two young parents and their baby look at fruit in the grocery store.
Nava Labs

Experimenting with AI-powered tools in public benefits

Our Nava Labs team conducted a series of experiments to test how AI can increase access to public benefits.

Illustration of a young Indigenous woman sitting at an office desk and talking on her cell phone. There is a laptop, monitor, and notebooks on the desk in front of her. Someone working on a computer sits across from her.
Nava Labs

Conducting user research to jumpstart human-centered experimentation with artificial intelligence

Our insights are helping us identify use cases and design experiments to test how AI-powered tools can expand access to public benefits.

Demo days and events

September 11, 2025 at 5:00 PM UTC

Nava Labs Demo Day: Pilot Results from an Assistive Chatbot

See results from the Los Angeles pilot of Nava’s AI-powered chatbot that assists caseworkers connecting families with public benefits.

April 17, 2025 at 6:00 PM UTC

Nava Labs Demo Day: Developing an Assistive Chatbot

See Nava’s AI-powered chatbot that assists caseworkers connecting families with public benefits — now piloting in Los Angeles.

July 10, 2024 at 5:30 PM UTC

Nava Labs Demo Day: Experimenting with AI Tools for Caseworkers

The Nava Labs team will share early experiments with applying AI capabilities to research-driven opportunities for supporting benefit navigators.

April 25, 2024 at 7:00 PM UTC

Nava Labs Demo Day: Research on AI Tools for Caseworkers

The team will share early experiments with applying AI capabilities to a set of research-driven use cases for supporting benefit navigators.

March 8, 2024 at 3:00 PM UTC

Helping families access public benefits with AI and automation

Join us for a panel discussion about the future of AI in government and a light lunch.

Announcements

April 10, 2025

Introducing our pilot with Imagine LA: testing an AI chatbot for navigating public benefits

Building on Imagine LA’s 18-plus years of providing direct social services, we're piloting an AI-powered chatbot for benefit navigators.

December 16, 2024

Nava Labs awarded grant to pilot tools powered by generative AI

This grant from the Gates Foundation will enable Nava Labs to test and refine new tools with partner benefit agencies and navigators.

September 16, 2024

Nava selected as finalist for Robin Hood AI Poverty Challenge award

We’ll use the funding to pilot an AI-enabled chatbot that may help benefit navigators like caseworkers connect families with critical public services.

February 20, 2024

Nava and Benefits Data Trust partner to explore how AI can support public benefit navigators

Nava and BDT will explore how generative AI can support benefit navigators to quickly enroll people in government benefit programs.

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