We’re now obsessed with how fast the Department of Veterans Affairs processes claims. Speed has become the measure of success. But what no one is talking about is this: much of that speed comes from AI deciding that many veterans are never even heard. At VetComm, we have never seen so many veterans seeking our help because they were simply flat denied. And when we help them tell their story, magically, they are compensated. It makes you wonder — what’s the real cost of speed?
The VA has integrated artificial intelligence into nearly every corner of its claims process, aiming to reduce backlogs and modernize the system. According to the VA’s own 2024 report, AI now handles over 70 percent of incoming disability claim correspondence within 24 hours, scanning thousands of documents to identify relevant evidence. On the surface, that sounds like progress. But for many veterans, that progress comes with a devastating side effect: they are being processed faster, but they are not being understood. What looks like efficiency on paper often feels, in practice, like a machine deciding human fate.
For veterans who have waited years to have their voices heard, this new system may seem like a promise fulfilled — but that promise is only as strong as the fairness behind it. When automation replaces human judgment, efficiency becomes an illusion. At VetComm, we hear from veterans every day who did everything right, submitted all the required paperwork, and still received a denial that feels mechanical and dismissive. When we take the same claim, tell their story clearly, and bring back the human element, the result changes. Suddenly, the same evidence that AI overlooked becomes compelling. That isn’t a coincidence — it’s proof that the system works best when people, not algorithms, are making the decisions.
The problem is that AI works best with structured data, not with the complex, emotional, human reality of a veteran’s life. Disability claims aren’t just numbers or checkboxes; they are stories of service, sacrifice, and struggle. A handwritten note describing insomnia caused by combat noise, or a personal statement about how an injury makes daily life a challenge, can easily be lost or misread by AI. The result is too often a categorical denial — not because the veteran lacks merit, but because the system lacks understanding. It becomes “AI talking to AI,” with no human interpreter to bridge the gap between a veteran’s lived experience and the evidence the VA requires. Even the American Legion has warned that over-reliance on automation risks reducing accuracy in the name of speed.
There’s also the question of privacy. AI systems require access to deeply personal data — service records, medical histories, and even mental health evaluations. According to the Government Accountability Office, government data breaches increased by 38 percent between 2022 and 2024, with AI-enabled systems adding complexity to oversight. Veterans entrust their most sensitive information to the VA, and if those systems are not carefully managed and protected, the damage goes far beyond a denied claim. It undermines the very trust the institution is built on.
AI absolutely can improve how the VA operates. It can be an incredible tool to sort information, catch errors, and speed up routine tasks. But it must remain just that—a tool. It should never become a substitute for the human judgment, compassion, and experience that define true service. The VA’s mission is not simply to process claims efficiently; it is to serve veterans with dignity and respect. That cannot be automated.
We should embrace innovation where it helps, but never at the expense of the human connection that veterans depend on. The challenge is not whether to use AI, but how to use it responsibly — in a way that enhances fairness rather than undermining it. Because in the end, efficiency is hollow without empathy. Veterans deserve more than an algorithmic decision; they deserve to be seen, heard, and understood. True modernization means marrying innovation with humanity. Anything less risks turning progress into betrayal.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
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