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  1. Maximus
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  3. The future of efficient government is powered by technology

The future of efficient government is powered by technology

Derrick Pledger

Derrick Pledger

September 9, 2025

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It sounds simpler than it is: delivering the right services to the right people at the right time. 

The last couple of decades has marked a monumental shift in our relationship with technology. We’ve gone from adapting our lives to technology to having technology adapt to how each of us lives our daily lives. People are now rightly expecting a similar level of AI-driven, personalized customer experience (CX) with government agencies as they do from their consumer services.    

It is estimated that there are more than 7,000 AI use cases across the federal government, and the top categories all focus on providing better services to Americans. When CX is integrated with AI, agencies can unlock the powerful potential of their data, providing personalized experiences that support real-time decision-making, reduce risks and costs, increase efficiency, and improve outcomes, especially when it matters most.  

We’ve already seen the positive impacts of AI across the Department of Defense, VA and other mission-critical agencies, where industry is partnering with department leaders to implement CX-focused AI capabilities that are intuitive, accessible, and aligned with operational demands all while delivering significant improvements in efficiency. Our own experience has shown that in one VA program alone, the use of our AI-powered solutions has strengthened program integrity and prevented waste by 60 percent.  

Closer to home, we’ve seen positive effects during times of crisis and natural disaster. Such events demand rapid, modern, high-quality systems and processes to get people connected to resources and aid as quickly and effectively as possible. Our current system is heavily dependent on throwing large numbers of people at the challenge. However, by combining intelligent AI agents and a CX-enhanced front and back end, we can accelerate the response and rebuild effort by having technology assist with simple tasks and connect data points, freeing up increasingly hard-to-find people and focusing them on solving the most critical and complex challenges. 

Going forward, this combination of AI and CX promises to get better over time. Through the proper implementation of “learning AI,” we can improve outcomes because the systems are constantly learning to identify better ways to provide support and stay ahead of operational demands. This virtuous cycle built on rapidly implementing improvements identified by integrated real-time data and feedback, continually elevates satisfaction while increasing efficiency and effectiveness. 

Ultimately, delivering on this simple, monumental, and demanded possibility can only be achieved by a partnership between the private and public sector. Admittedly this partnership is complex – concerns around cybersecurity, cost, the role of the human in / on the loop, modernization of the underlying system and many others – are all things that have to be wrestled with.    

Private sector companies, like Maximus, are committed to this partnership, to helping the government navigate these challenges and achieve its efficiency goals while delivering real, measurable improvements in the lives of the people it serves. As the CDIO of a private sector company that interfaces with 1 in 3 Americans every year, I understand the promise of AI + CX personally. It’s why our company’s ethos has focused on ensuring people have access to services when they need them. For years, we’ve infused emerging technologies like AI, CX, and machine learning to help agencies at the local, state, and federal level identify ways to run programs more efficiently and effectively while serving citizens where they need it most.   

It is only by completing this transition to a customer-focused approach that we can truly fulfill our ultimate obligation – the support of the citizen.  

The author, Derrick Pledger, is Chief Digital and Information Officer at Maximus. 

About the author

Derrick Pledger

Derrick Pledger, Chief Digital and Information Officer

Derrick Pledger is the Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO) at Maximus. He joined the company in January 2024, focusing on driving technology strategy, delivery operations, and digital modernization activities for the organization. As an industry leader with over 20 years of experience, Derrick’s technical expertise spans a wide range of areas, including systems integration, automation, cloud and edge computing, artificial intelligence, IT delivery governance, data analytics, and end-to-end solution development. His mission is to deliver value and outcomes for Maximus customers via the application of advanced technologies, establishing industry-leading technology partnerships, and maintaining a skilled workforce capable of driving secure digital transformation.

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