Having experienced homelessness, Army veteran Chad King was searching for a way to help other veterans struggling to find affordable housing and benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
He came up with a solution – Chief Bud – an AI assistant built to help veterans learn and apply for VA resources.
King, a graduate student at DePaul University in Chicago, served in the Army for seven years, forging a brotherhood with his fellow comrades.
“There are 18 million veterans in the United States, and I feel a connection to all those people,” King told The DePaulia, the university’s student newspaper.
King, who is currently earning a Master of Science degree in human-computer interaction, believes he knows what veterans need.
“I served with them, I know them,” he said. “And those that are outside in the street and whatnot, I know who they are, and I know that’s not where they want to be.”
How It Works
King’s vision is to provide the basic elements of the AI platform to at least 200 veterans in Chicago by using an “eligibility snapshot” to collect essential information, including dates when the veteran served, and details of their discharge.
After that information is compiled, users can get a concise list of services and housing programs they could be eligible for and the ensuing steps to take to file a claim.
King developed the nucleus for Chief Bud while studying in a Design for Startups course. At the time, the DePaul grad student was battling housing uncertainty.
“The easiest problem to solve is the one you’re dealing with,” King said. “I figured that this would be a perfect use case for AI because part of the problem is there are so many rules, so many pages of rules — and who wants to read those rules?”
In recent months, the veteran has been creating a pilot for Chief Bud to test the platform. His goal is to feature the technology at resource fairs in Chicago this summer, opening it up for users.
Taking inspiration from some of his past commanders, King developed the Chief Bud character, an AI-animated “veteran” who talks to users in a direct, prompt manner, offering quick answers.
“Just like in the military,” King said.
Grant Fuels Project
King received a boost to his AI idea in November by winning $25,000, the grand prize, in the TechRise Veteran’s Day Pitch Competition, hosted by P33, a Chicago-area global technology and innovation hub.
Winning the grant was somewhat surprising, since King was the contest’s only entrant that didn’t have a business already established.
“It’s scary because now I have to go be a businessman and that is not what I am nor have I ever been,” King said.
Trepidation aside, King is pouring in the same dedication he showed in the Army, learning the ins and outs of business development.
Molly Brown, director of the Homeless Advocacy, Research and Collaboration (HARC Lab) at DePaul, said it’s crucial that AI projects like King’s be informed by people who have gone through human experiences. Part of the university’s Department of Psychology, the lab serves as a research and advocacy program committed to finding ways to prevent homelessness.
“Creating that kind of cultural tailoring makes the intervention or the service itself more accessible to that population, so they’re more likely to use it,” Brown said.
This helps users wary of technology, especially AI, to feel more at ease using the platform, Brown said.
Platform Influenced by Military
Air Force veteran Trevor Harpanionek sees the benefits of King’s invention. Harpanionek, from nearby Hoffman Estates, Illinois, believes Chief Bud could be a “phenomenal” tool to assist veterans in navigating VA resources.
He especially enjoys how the program breaks down information in clear bullet points.
“It falls right into our wheelhouse of complete and utter structure and order,” Harpanionek said.
King also chose the moniker “Chief Bud” as an ode to military life.
“In the military, you’re trained to rely on other people,” King said. “Your battle buddy is the framework that they use. The idea is that you’re not alone.”
The Army veteran hopes users will see the platform as a friendly, easy-to-use program. And it allows the budding entrepreneur to dive into the AI boom.
“AI is one of the most powerful, interesting tools that has ever been created,” King said.
As a public benefit corporation, the platform will remain free for veterans. According to Cornell Law School, a PBC is a for-profit company designed to operate in a responsible and sustainable manner while also pursuing one or more specific public benefits and generating revenue for shareholders.
“I have an opportunity to fulfill a mission that I’ve always wanted to fulfill,” King said, “and that is to help the people around me.”
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