Segurança Social started using artificial intelligence: Response time for some transactions was reduced by 10 days

In Portugal, Segurança Social uses artificial intelligence in processes such as document reading, risk detection and automating repetitive administrative tasks. According to the data announced by the government, an improvement of approximately 10 days was achieved in the average response time in processes where new technologies were used.

The development marks a new phase in the digitalization of social security services in Portugal. However, the conclusion that “all Segurança Social transactions are now 10 days faster” is not true: the announced gain is related to the processes where artificial intelligence is applied.

What is artificial intelligence used for?

In the Segurança Social system, AI is used especially to speed up high-volume and repetitive administrative tasks.

These include reading and classifying information in documents, helping identify risks, and automating some routine tasks.

The aim is to make files move faster by reducing some of the repetitive processes that officers carry out manually.

What does 10 days difference mean?

According to the information announced on September 23, the use of artificial intelligence reduced response times by approximately 10 days.

The critical point here is that this is not a guaranteed new legal processing time for all social security applications.

In other words, every application made by a citizen or resident will be completed 10 days earlier from now on. should not assume.

The figure expresses the efficiency gain achieved in operational processes where technology is used.

Is human decision completely disappearing?

The use of artificial intelligence in document reading or risk detection does not mean that all social assistance and social security decisions are made by algorithms without human intervention.

The scope of automation used is important, especially in terms of decisions affecting people's rights, payment amounts or obligations.

Therefore, in the next stage, it is not just about speed; Where human control is maintained, how automated risk detections are controlled, and what objection mechanisms exist for incorrect classifications are also among the issues that need to be monitored.

What is the practical consequence for residents?

The potential benefit for those working in Portugal, the unemployed, family allowance recipients, retirees and other Segurança Social users is faster administrative processing.

However, due to the development announced today, citizens do not need to make a new registration in their Segurança Social Direta accounts or use a different application method.

The change mainly affects the organization's background processing capacity.

Broader AI transformation in Portuguese public administration

Segurança Social application is not a stand-alone technology project.

The government uses artificial technology in accelerating licensing and administrative processes in public administration. He wants to expand the use of intelligence.

Reforma do Estado Minister Gonçalo Matias also announced that they are aiming for a system in which some licensing processes can be completed in months instead of years with the use of AI.

However, these are different projects. The 10-day improvement announced in Segurança Social does not mean that other public transactions have accelerated at the same rate.

Resources

ECO — Uso da IA na Segurança Social permitiu reduzir tempo de resposta em dez dias, 23 September 2026

https://eco.sapo.pt/2026/09/23/uso-da-ia-na-seguranca-social-permitiu-reduzir-tempo-de-resposta-em-dez-dias/

Renascença — Governo acredita que IA pode reduzir tempo de licenciamento de quatro anos para oito meses, 23 September 2026

https://rr.pt/noticia/politica/2026/09/23/governo-acredita-que-ia-pode-reduzir-tempo-de-licenciamento-de-quatro-anos-para-oito-meses/486453/