The Claim Summary Tool (CST) Q&As

Background

The Claim Summary Tool (CST) is an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tool used by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to support the review of Disability Benefit applications.

For many Veterans, applications involve large volumes of medical records and service documents. The Claim Summary Tool helps organize this information and highlights key details, so decision makers can review applications more efficiently and consistently. This helps VAC reduce processing times and supports timely decisions for Veterans.  

The Claim Summary Tool does not make decisions, determine eligibility, or replace human judgment. VAC employees always review the information and make the final decision on every application.   

Questions and Answers

Q1. What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

A1. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a fast-changing technology that can help many different areas, including government services. It can be used to make work faster, more efficient, and support new processes.

Q2. Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) be making decisions on my application?

A2. No. All decisions are made by trained VAC employees. The CST (VAC’s AI‑enabled Claim Summary Tool) may be used to help summarize information in Disability Benefit applications, but it does not make decisions, determine eligibility, or replace human judgment.

A trained VAC decision maker always reviews your file and makes the final decision on every application. For now, the CST is used only in Disability Pension and Pain and Suffering Compensation applications.

For any Disability Benefit applications where the CST was used, we will include a brief note in your decision letter to say that AI helped support the processing of your application.

Q3. What is the Claim Summary Tool?

A3. The Claim Summary Tool is a new artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled tool used by Veterans Affairs Canada to support the review of Disability Benefit applications and help Veterans receive decisions sooner. It uses AI to scan your application and supporting information, extract key details, and organize them into a summary to help decision makers review applications more efficiently and consistently. The CST does not make decisions, determine eligibility, or replace human judgment. VAC employees always make the final decision, on every application.

Q4. Why is VAC using the Claim Summary Tool?

A4. VAC is using the Claim Summary Tool to help speed up the processing of Disability Benefit applications while maintaining the same high standard of decision quality.

The Claim Summary Tool uses AI to summarize key information from applications, allowing VAC decision makers to quickly see the most important details. This helps reduce the time spent manually reviewing large volumes of documents so decisions can be made faster.

Importantly, the tool does not make decisions or determine eligibility. A trained VAC decision maker always reviews the file and makes the final decision. If the summary produced by the CST enables a decision maker to reach a favourable decision, the file can be processed faster (i.e., without a full manual review of all documents). If the file is not approved based on a review of the summary, the decision maker will review the entire file manually before finalizing the decision. This will ensure that Veterans continue to receive all the benefits to which they are entitled.

Q5. How can I be sure that the CST produces accurate summaries?

A5. During the design of the CST, we worked closely with VAC’s expert decision makers to make sure the summaries it creates include the key information they rely on when making a decision.

We successfully tested the CST by comparing decisions made with and without the tool to confirm that the summaries are high‑quality, accurate, and reliable.

Q6. How will you ensure that summaries created by the CST remain accurate over time?

A6. We will continue to monitor and test the tool to ensure it produces quality summaries.

Q7. The CST will improve turnaround times, but will there be impacts on the quality of decisions?

A7. No. Quality remains our top priority. VAC decision makers will continue to apply the same legislation, regulations, and policies and carefully verify all important details of each file.

If the summary produced by the CST enables a decision maker to reach a favourable decision, the file can be processed faster (i.e., without a full manual review of all documents). If the file is not approved based on a review of the summary, the decision maker will review the entire file manually before finalizing the decision. This will ensure that Veterans continue to receive all the benefits to which they are entitled. Quality and compliance will remain the foundation of every decision.

Q8. Will the CST be used for all Disability Benefit applications?

A8. The CST will be used for first applications for Disability Pension and Pain and Suffering Compensation. In the future, the CST may also be expanded for use with other Disability Benefit types as appropriate.

Q9. Does the CST affect my privacy?

A9. Protecting your privacy is critical. The CST will only review the information required to process your disability application (the same information reviewed by VAC employees). Your information remains secure on VAC systems in Canada.

Q10. Does this change how I apply for Disability Benefits?

A10. No. The CST does not change the application process, and VAC employees are still available to support you if you need help with your application.

Q11. Does the CST affect my rights to review or appeal a decision?

A11. No. Your review and appeal rights remain the same. Please see here for information on how to review or appeal a decision.

Q12. Will the CST change how decisions are explained?

A12. No. Your decision will still be explained in a letter, in clear, plain language, by a VAC decision maker. For any Disability Benefit applications where the CST was used, we will include a brief note in your decision letter to say that AI helped support the processing of your application.

Q13. Can I see the summary the CST creates?

A13. The summary becomes part of your official VAC file. If you’d like a copy, you can request it through Veterans Affairs Canada’s Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Office. You can do this online, by email or by mail - whichever is easier for you.

Option 1- Online requests

You can use the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Online Request service.

Option 2 – Email requests

Complete the Personal Information Request Form and email it to atip-aiprp@veterans.gc.ca.

Option 3 – Written requests

If you prefer, you can send a written request by mail to:

Access to Information and Privacy
Veterans Affairs Canada
PO Box 7700
Charlottetown, PE
C1A 8M9

Q14. What does the CST mean for VAC employees?

A14. The CST streamlines document review, giving VAC employees more time for higher-value work like analysis and decision-making.

Q15. Where can I learn more about the Disability Benefit adjudication process?

A15. Learn more about how VAC reviews Disability Benefit applications, including who reviews them and what evidence is considered, at How we review a disability benefit application.