Where I work we take both non and emergency calls, and have a separate number for each. The phone system we use will make sure the emergency calls come through first, so it’s not uncommon to have zero emergency calls queueing while the non-emergency queue sits at 10-20 minutes (just like any other call centre, we have the boards up on the wall showing the stats).

It seems like this AI thing is trying to solve the problem of people calling the emergency number for a call that doesn’t need an emergency response, which is super common. Either people don’t know about the non-emergency line, or they think the non-emergency line is for other people and calling the emergency line will get their issue sorted faster. The first kind are usually very apologetic when you ask them to call the non-emergency, the second kind will argue with you and we’re instructed to just hang up on them after repeating the instruction to keep the emergency queue free.

The thing is, anyone with half a brain can identify a non-emergency call within max 2 minutes. It’s probably the easiest part of the whole job. But it definitely requires a human, because people will call up shouting and screaming like they’re mid-way through getting stabbed, when really they’re just a grumpy old fuck who’s neighbours are playing rap music. And on the flip side, plenty of people are able to make a full-on emergency call in an almost spookily calm tone, and even more so if they’re not directly involved (Common example is a teacher or social worker calling something in a child’s disclosed to them about their parents). So being able to read between the lines in a way humans are very good at, but robots are not, is obviously super important.