Tennessee Launched AI Chatbot for State Licensing
The new system provides around-the-clock regulatory guidance for over 357,000 professional licensees across Tennessee.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance has deployed Iris, an artificial intelligence chatbot designed to assist users with state licensing requirements. The tool is now available through the state's CORE licensing system and the Regulatory Boards Division website.
Why it matters
The chatbot aims to improve administrative efficiency by providing 24/7 assistance to professionals, supplementing traditional customer support that is limited to standard business hours.
Iris supports 357,000 licensees across 26 regulatory programs, augmenting human support that previously managed 220,960 inquiries in 2025. The system operates outside of the agency's 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time customer service window.
The players
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
The state regulatory agency responsible for managing professional licensure and consumer protection across Tennessee.
CORE licensing system
The centralized digital platform used by the state to process professional applications and maintain regulatory records.
The details
Users access Iris by selecting a chat icon on the CORE licensing system portal or the Regulatory Boards Division website. The bot interfaces directly with the CORE database to retrieve information on licensing requirements while operating in English and Spanish. To maintain security, the system is designed to avoid sharing personal user data, and it automatically alerts users to seek human support if a query falls outside of its current scope.
Timeline
August 2026: The chatbot Iris launched in a soft, initial phase.
September 22, 2026: The agency announced the broader, official launch of Iris.
The Tech Race
The deployment of Iris integrates generative AI into the existing CORE licensing system, moving away from static, rules-based web portals. This follows a broader trend among state agencies to automate high-volume inquiries while maintaining the 96% satisfaction rate previously established by human teams.
Licensed professionals in Tennessee can now access regulatory information via the CORE portal at any hour, bypassing the standard 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. service constraints. The tool is accessible through the department's website in both English and Spanish.
The takeaway
This deployment marks a shift toward 24/7 digital accessibility for state professional services in Tennessee. Users should watch for future reports on whether the tool expands beyond information retrieval to allow for direct processing of the 163,910 annual applications.
Further reading
For more on how state agencies are deploying automation, see the Artificial Intelligence section.
More information
Access the new digital assistant by visiting the CORE licensing system website.
Live Poll
Do you trust artificial intelligence chatbots to handle your official licensing or government inquiries accurately?
