The US Postal Service (USPS) has long recognized that the vast amount of data created by their systems (20 TB a day) require artificial intelligence (AI) for effective management. Going back several years (2019), postal leadership started implementing AI. In public speeches, the CIO, Pritha Mehra, has explained that the USPS is using AI for logistics optimization, fraud detection, web risk analysis, augmented development, maintenance assistance, and AI-assisted training courses.
The USPS also uses AI to provide accurate predictions of package location, delivery timing, and anticipate delivery failures before they occur. Their Edge Compute Infrastructure Program (ECIP) runs AI inference systems at 190+ processing centers nationwide.
In one way, the USPS has gone from just a user of AI to a proponent of AI. The USPS has included the use of AI as a way to obtain postage discounts.
For 2026, there are four options under the Integrated Technology Promotion to use AI:
Under any option, the mailer submits their mailpiece to the USPS for approval. If approved, they receive a 5% discount on postage for the mailpieces. The start date begins on the first mail date claiming the discount and must run for up to 6 consecutive months during the January 1 - December 31, 2026 calendar year.
Amazing Astronomical Fact: Constellations (“set of stars”) are simply groups of stars that have imaginatively been linked together to depict characters, animals and objects from mankind’s myths, past and present. In 1922, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially recognized 88 constellations, 48 of which were recorded by the Greek astronomer Ptolemy in his book ‘Almagest’ written around 150 AD.
A wonderful book about the stories behind many of the constellations is Classical Mythology of the Constellations: Timeless Tales of the Starry Night Sky by Annette Giesecke (illustrated by Jim Tierney). The book is available at your local bookstore or library.
The photo with this post was generated by AI, and is not an actual constellation.
#artificialintelligence #ai #USPS #bigdata #theberkshirecompany
Missed a past newsletter? No worries they're all saved on our Thursday Thoughts on AI page.