"AI to Answer 911 Calls?" The Prescription for "No Waiting" Chosen by Understaffed Centers: Tasks Assigned to AI by 911 Centers and Tasks Not Assigned

"AI to Answer 911 Calls?" The Prescription for "No Waiting" Chosen by Understaffed Centers: Tasks Assigned to AI by 911 Centers and Tasks Not Assigned

2025年08月29日 12:02

"AI That Won't Keep You Waiting for Emergency Calls"—Why 911 Centers Across the U.S. Are Betting on AI Now

August 27, 2025 (U.S. Time), TechCrunch reported that "911 centers are starting to use AI to handle calls due to severe staffing shortages." At the center of this development is Aurelian, a Y Combinator startup. The company has raised a $14 million Series A led by NEA and is implementing a system where AI voice agents handle initial responses to non-emergency calls such as noise complaints, parking violations, and theft reports at centers across the country. The founder explains that if a situation is deemed a true emergency, it will be immediately transferred to a human operator. The system has been introduced in Snohomish County, Washington; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Kalamazoo, Michigan, among others, covering over a dozen locations.TechCrunch


Aurelian originally pivoted from automating beauty salon reservations. The shift began when they encountered a case where a client was "kept waiting for 45 minutes at a city's non-emergency line," uncovering the structural issue that many non-emergency lines share the same staff as 911. Thus, they decided to absorb non-emergency call volumes with AI and return human resources to genuine emergency responses, a reversal in thinking.TechCrunch


Why It's Needed Now: Chronic Staffing Shortages and Burnout

911 centers in the U.S. have long struggled with structural staffing shortages and high turnover. The 2025 edition of "Pulse of 9-1-1" notes that while the percentage of centers reporting "vacancies" improved from 82% in 2024 to 74% in 2025, "staff burnout" has emerged as the most critical issue.nena.org


Previous surveys also revealed a harsh reality with an **average vacancy rate of 25% (2019–2022)**. With 1/4 of positions unfilled, non-emergency inquiries easily strain the capacity of the centers.911.gov


Emerging Competition: Hyper, Prepared, and the Moves of Established Giants

In this field, challengers like Hyper (which raised $6.3 million in July 2025) and the 2019-founded Prepared (adding voice AI) are beginning to emerge. However, investors claim that **"Aurelian is the only one processing calls 'daily' in actual operations."**TechCrunchNEA


Meanwhile, existing players like Carbyne are also expanding their AI capabilities, gaining momentum through deployment to around 300 agencies and large-scale funding. Investment money is flowing into the market, backed by the "stability of public contracts."The Wall Street Journal


Signs of Success: What's Happening on the Ground

In a trial in New Orleans, AI handled over 3,500 cases in 90 days through initial triage, reportedly reducing duplicate calls by 30%. This effectively increases the proportion of cases that human operators should handle.Carbyne


On the other hand, Aurelian reports that they automatically process about 74% of non-emergency calls on average, saving about 3 hours per day per operator, and expanding the serviceable population to about 5 million people, according to operational figures (as disclosed by each company).AurelianMorningstarInternational Fire & Safety Journal


Social Media Reactions: The Reality Between Expectations and Concerns

On Reddit, "Safety," "Intrinsic Improvement of Treatment," and "Joking Concerns" Swirl

In a thread on Reddit's r/technology, criticisms like **"AI is immature and can't be held accountable," "Wages should be raised first to attract hires", and defenses like "Effective for initial handling of non-emergencies" are mixed. Reports of AI misrouting calls were also shared. Overall, there is a strong concern about **"whether truly urgent people will be blocked by the AI gate."Reddit


On X (formerly Twitter), Limited Spread, Focus on "Solutions to Staffing Shortages"

 


Accounts from TechCrunch and the startup community shared the article, with a noticeable framing as "a practical solution to fill severe staffing shortages." However, detailed verification or large-scale discussions are still scarce. As the expansion phase is still early, community discussions are likely to intensify soon.X (formerly Twitter)


Organizing the Issues: Benefits and Risks

Benefits

  • Reduced Waiting Times: Automating routine non-emergency inquiries to free up lines and accelerate initial contact for emergency calls.TechCrunchAurelian

  • Reduced Operator Workload: Potential to alleviate burnout and reduce the frequency of overtime.TechCrunchnena.org

  • Streamlined Operational Data: Enhancing the quality of handovers through automatic generation of key points and CAD summaries.Aurelian


Risks/Concerns

  • False Negatives: Situations where "an emergency is mistakenly judged as non-emergency" are unacceptable. Companies emphasize the safety valve of immediate human transfer, but addressing **extreme cases (hesitation, slang, call quality degradation)** is key.TechCrunch

  • Transparency and Accountability: There needs to be confidence in the criteria for AI judgments, auditability of logs, and the handling of training data (stored within the U.S., no cross-training, etc.).Aurelian

  • Regulatory Alignment: AI voice regulations mainly target outbound robocall measures, leaving gray areas for AI use in receiving lines. Future rule-making should be closely watched.WIREDThe Verge

What to "Discern": A Checklist

  1. Disclosure of Escalation Criteria: At what threshold calls are handed to humans, with independent audits and third-party evaluations.TechCrunch

  2. Accessibility and Language Support: Ensuring no misrouting occurs in cases involving multiple languages or hearing/speech impairments.International Fire & Safety Journal

  3. External Verification of Results: Publishing statistics on the effects of reducing duplicate calls and shortening wait times by municipalities.##HTML_TAG

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