Scoop: Richmond wants AI to handle 60% of nonemergency calls
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Richmond wants its Amazon AI system to handle up to 60% of its nonemergency calls, more than triple the share currently managed without human dispatchers.
Why it matters: The city hopes AI can ease the workload at its busy 911 center, even as one City Council member questions whether residents know they're speaking to a bot.
- And the city is giving the technology until January to improve before considering a potentially pricier replacement, spokesperson Taylor Fuqua tells Axios.
Catch up quick: The 50%-60% goal was disclosed during a council presentation late last month, requested after Axios reported in July on the AI assistant, which has cost the city more than $52,000.
- The system launched in April 2025 to help callers navigate city services for RVA 311, police information, animal control and more.
- When the AI can't confidently answer a question, it transfers callers to a live dispatcher.
- Axios found this summer that its responses were inconsistent.
By the numbers: Data from last fiscal year found the AI system transferred nearly 81% of the roughly 111,000 nonemergency calls to the city's 911 center.
- The remaining 19.3% were handled by AI or sent elsewhere without reaching a dispatcher.
The latest: Officials are working with Amazon Connect to "determine what changes are needed to get closer" to their goal, Fuqua says.
- The city hasn't detailed how the system would handle more calls or whether the improvements would cost more.
- Jackie Crotts, deputy technology director for Richmond's emergency communications department, told council that he wants the AI to be able to have conversations with callers.
Meanwhile: At last month's meeting, Councilwoman Reva Trammell said residents "don't even know that it's AI" and described confusion among some of her constituents who called the nonemergency line.
What we're watching: Richmond is hoping to have the AI system pull information from more sources and have it handle at least 25% of calls by Jan. 1.
- If the system falls short, Fuqua says, Richmond will look for other options.
- But other AI systems are more expensive, and any replacement would depend on available funding, Fuqua adds.