New Orleans Deploys AI for Repeat Traffic 911 Calls

New Orleans has begun using artificial intelligence to answer a specific category of 911 calls, officials confirmed this week. The system, which has been operational since 2023, is designed to handle multiple reports of the same traffic accident, freeing up human dispatchers for more urgent emergencies.

The AI tool, called AI Emergency Call Triage and developed by the software company Carbyne, activates only when a caller dials 911 from within 200 meters of a car crash already logged in the city's dispatch system. The AI confirms the caller is reporting the same incident, informs them help is already on the way, and asks them to stay on the line only if they were involved in the crash or have new details. All other callers can hang up.

Officials from the Orleans Parish Communications District said the system addresses a persistent problem where rush-hour pileups would generate dozens of simultaneous calls, overwhelming phone lines and delaying response to other emergencies. According to district figures, the AI now handles 15 to 18 out of every 20 repeat calls about a single accident. District director Karl Fasold said the tool now frees up roughly an extra hour of productivity...