Two British police forces have become the first in the country to recruit an AI assistant in a new trial testing how the technology can be used to communicate with the public.
‘Bobbi’ the AI assistant is being trialled by Thames Valley Police and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
The two forces are testing how Bobbi responds to public questions, with the goal of offering a human-like response. Currently the tool is only being used for non-emergency questions.
According to Thames Valley Police, Bobbi uses “closed-source” information to offer advice and next steps to citizens. It said that any data shared with Bobbi will remain confidential and will not be used outside of the relevant forces.
“This is a really exciting time for us as we trial this technology in policing. Locally and nationally, contact into the police increases year-on-year, online and over the phone, and it is important that the valuable skillset of our Call Handlers and Digital Desk Operators is spent on emergencies and complex, sensitive issues,” said Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds, head of contact management for both forces.
“Empathy, common sense and that intangible gut instinct are some of the many human skills that need to guide our interactions with the public, particularly in their time of need. By providing quick responses to commonly asked, non-emergency questions, Bobbi will enhance our service to our communities, ensuring that every member of the public can get the help they need, whenever they need it.”
