AI bots are helping 911 dispatchers with their workload

A dispatcher with Anne Arundel County Fire Department answers a 911 emergency call from their department dispatch center on April 14, 2020 in Glen Burnie, Maryland. — AFP/TNS

In the middle of a storm, 911 call centres often find themselves inundated with reports of fallen trees, flooded roads and panicked residents. Every call matters, but with multiple reports of the same incident pouring in, the pressure on emergency services can become overwhelming.

Amid the chaos, a technological ally has emerged: artificial intelligence. In the United States, AI is quietly transforming how non-emergency calls are handled in dispatch centres. An AI-powered system can triage and coordinate the flood of reports, promptly alerting the relevant agencies.