KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI — The Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority is now utilizing an artificial intelligence (AI) system named Ava to process non-emergency calls.

Officially announced on December 19, the AI technology, developed by Aurelian, a software company based in Seattle, is expected to streamline dispatch operations. Ava acts as a virtual assistant that not only routes calls but also resolves various needs, speaking multiple languages to cater to diverse callers.

According to the Kalamazoo County dispatch center, Ava is designed to manage inquiries efficiently and is described as ‘very smart’ by agency officials.

Executive Director of the Kalamazoo County Dispatch Authority, Jeffery Troyer, remarked, ‘We’re trying to free up some of our staff to have more time to deal with emergencies.’ The new system aims to enhance response times, especially during high-demand periods.

The AI system includes several fail-safes. If Ava cannot understand the caller’s needs or determines the request is an emergency, the call will be transferred immediately to a human dispatcher. This hybrid approach ensures all calls requiring public safety aid are monitored and passed on with accurate information.

On average, the dispatch authority handles approximately 260,000 non-emergency calls annually, and about half of those come through the main non-emergency number. Ava is expected to take on a significant portion of these calls, ultimately allowing human staff to focus more on critical incidents.

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