24 April 2024 – The European Emergency Number Association (EENA) is pleased to announce the official launch of its AI Special Project, an initiative set to run in seven European countries, including Finland, Sweden, Germany, North Macedonia, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. This collaborative effort brings together four companies in the field of AI technology – Gladia, Cestel, Augmented Hearing, and LiveReader – to explore the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning in emergency call centres.

The AI Special Project aims to enhance the operational efficiency and responsiveness of emergency services through the implementation of advanced AI technologies. The pilot projects will focus on three critical areas: language detection, translation, and transcription; triage to prioritize emergency calls effectively; and noise cancellation to improve call clarity. These technologies are expected to streamline call handling processes, reduce response times, and ultimately save lives.

The project will be carried out over the course of five months, concluding at the end of September 2024. Following the completion of the pilot phase, a comprehensive report detailing the outcomes and insights gained from the project will be released in October 2024. The culmination of this initiative will be marked by a final event in December, further details of which can be found on EENA’s dedicated event page: EENA’s NG112 & AI Event.

EENA’s commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technologies to support emergency services is at the heart of the AI Special Project. By trialling AI tools in real-world scenarios, the project seeks to identify practical solutions that can be adopted by emergency call centres across Europe and beyond. The objective is not only to support the call centre staff with AI tools that can enhance emergency response operation but also to ensure that citizens in distress can receive help in their language and without unnecessary delay.

“We are excited to embark on this journey. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in our efforts to trial AI technology into emergency call centres” said Gary Machado, EENA’s Executive Director. “While we remain optimistic about the potential of AI, our approach is measured and focused on tangible benefits for emergency call centres and those they serve.”

For more information about the AI Special Project and its objectives, please visit EENA’s AI Special Project page.