New Orleans tests AI to triage, route 911 calls starting July 2026; system handles call surges, directs emergencies to human dispatchers but risks bias, speech recognition failures

New Orleans will use AI to answer 911 calls instead of a human

July 28, 2026, 6:02 a.m. CTIf you call 911 in New Orleans, you may hear the sound of an artificial intelligence (AI) agent answering your call instead of a human voice.The Orleans Parish Communication District (OPCD) is changing the way dispatch calls are handled in New Orleans with the implementation of new technology.The OPCD is currently testing out the new tool designed to reduce the volume of calls human dispatchers must handle, which is over a thousand emergency calls a day.Why is New Orle...