In an effort to improve efficiency and to make up for staffing shortages, New Orleans parish is using AI software that helps triage 911 calls. This is the first such reported use of AI in the country. Currently, the software is used one call/incident at a time, and only for non-violent matter such as traffic/road accidents.
WHY IT MATTERS
Finding ways to leverage AI to improve emergency response would be a promising use of its power. The system in question reportedly has potential application for deciding which calls need human attention, allowing faster translation assistance when a caller does not speak English, processing multiple incidents at one time for faster intake, and helping with the chronic labor shortages that still affect so many sectors. It will be a fascinating demonstration of how such a system can work in real time.
Fasold said he's hopeful about the ability of AI to help plug a gap in his operations that he's been unable to meet despite his best efforts. Beyond call triaging, Fasold said he's also experimenting with using AI to speed up calls with human call takers, but added that it's "really in an alpha environment so all I can do is hint at it."
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