The Police and Crime Commissioner has ‘welcomed’ West Midlands Police’s new virtual phone answering assistant, which has prioritised nearly 800 vulnerable callers and answered a staggering 17,000 calls during a 2-month trial.
Victims of domestic violence, those at risk of suicide and people reporting missing children were all helped more quickly as a result of the new high-tech system.
Some of the public’s 101 calls might, previously, have been abandoned if a human hadn’t picked up the call straight away.
However, PCC Simon Foster has recognised that with the help of the new AI assistant, nicknamed ‘Andi-Esra’, thousands of calls were dealt with swiftly, potentially saving lives and preventing harm.
Some of the calls that were answered by the AI computer system were deemed to be ‘time sensitive’ and were diverted to police call handlers so they could be dealt with quickly.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “I’m pleased to see that technology is being used by West Midlands Police to support its efforts in helping to keep people in our region safe.
“AI shouldn’t replace human contact with members of the public, but if it can help in the way that it has during this trial then that is to be welcomed.
“Artificial intelligence helps us use our mobile phones more easily, bank safely, heat our homes and commute to work. If it can do all that, then it is right that West Midlands Police use it to help keep you safe.”
