How ChatGPT Is Taking Over Emergency Calls in Portugal
Hello, AI on the line—what’s your emergency?
Portugal has launched a pilot program with a ChatGPT AI-based interface that takes the call, assesses the emergency, and interacts with a natural language response.
The Portuguese National Institute of Medical Emergency (INEM) is planning to implement a ChatGPT-based virtual assistant named “Voicebot 112”, to answer calls to the country’s emergency number from 2025 onwards.
Here in Portugal, we have some of the best digital services worldwide. Our SIBS network (Forward Payment Solutions) stands out as one of the best examples.
So for me, it came as no surprise to learn how the Portuguese Director General of Health is looking to ChatGPT as a helpful tool to solve some pressing issues.
Relieving the pressure with AI
From what I’ve read, the system will be used during moments of overload to relieve pressure on the operational centers of the service.
The chatbot will have the function of screening calls and making the respective emergency routing, be it to a police force, the fire department, or the INEM when operators are busy.
The goal of the “112 voicebot” is to reinforce the operational means, especially in periods of peak demand for the emergency line.
The Portuguese emergency line answers nine million calls per year. So as the wheels of progress turn, Portugal’s 112 services are set to undergo a significant modernization with an investment of 11.5 million euros spread over five years (2023–2027).
Hence, the goal is to lower the waiting time during peak calls, reduce the percentage of abandoned calls, which, in 2021, reached 16%, and eliminate false calls.
Portugal was the second country in Europe with the most fake calls 112 in 2021, according to a report by the European Commission.
The path to full implementation
I know how the Portuguese system resources are designed for normal situations, resulting in waiting times for answering calls that can reach five or six minutes.
So, the idea is to create a first interface that answers the call, evaluates what kind of problem it is, and determines what kind of report” is required, but with an answer in natural language.
The caller himself will not realize that he is talking to a chatbot, which will use the latest ChatGPT technology and will still undergo a period of testing with simulated calls. The second party always has to be a human; hence, the system never takes the call to the end.
Portugal is nowadays a tourist hotspot; hence, we are visited by people from all over the world. “112 voicebot” is its ability to detect the language of the caller automatically. This means everyone will still be able to communicate effectively with the virtual assistant.
In my opinion, this is crucial to making our emergency service more accessible to non-Portuguese speakers in the country.
This investment reflects the importance of efficient and effective emergency services in ensuring the safety and well-being of the population.
Addressing challenges and expanding capabilities
It’s quite surprising to witness this level of innovation in our emergency service. Portugal is a pathfinder nation in systemic digital integration; however, I wasn’t expecting to see ChatGPT being used at this level so early on.
For the time being, I believe experts will fine-tune this transformative technology, ensuring that when you dial 112, you experience a seamless and reliable emergency response.
Complete automation isn’t the aim here. While we embrace the power of artificial intelligence, let’s not forget the vital role of human mediation.
The deputy secretary-general of the Internal Administration, António Pombeiro disclosed the project during MAI Tech, a technology conference in the areas of security and civil protection, promoted by the Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) in Porto:
António Pombeiro noted how this is still a pilot project as it uses “the latest technology”, admitting authorities are “walking in the unknown”.
“In certain situations we have waiting periods due to congestion of calls, when there are incidents or events that involve a lot of publicity, a lot of people visualizing what’s happening, everyone has the initiative to call 112”
When I think about this new system, I have to note how everything hangs on a delicate balance between harnessing cutting-edge technology and leveraging the expertise of human emergency operators.
Closing thoughts
At its core, the “voicebot 112” is a virtual assistant infused with artificial intelligence, employing the power of voice as the ultimate mode of interaction between users and the service.
The number of virtual assistants will be infinite, and the system will be able to route calls to the INEM and send a summary of the problem and the location via geolocation.
The next phase will be to train the bot. Afterward, the virtual assistant will be able to route calls to the INEM and send a summary of the emergency and the location. The robot will then convert the audio of the call into text.
Thank you for your support. As always, I’m grateful for the gift of your precious time. We are all links in the chain; let’s stay connected.
Rui Alves is a language teacher, published author, international book judge, and publisher. He runs Alchemy Publications and serves as editor-in-chief for The Academic, Portugal Calling, Engage, Rock n’ Heavy, Beloved, Zenite, Poetaph, and Babel.
This sounds like an efficient way to deal with people who speak many languages but need different medical services. It might make humans freer to do actual treatment and care. Sometimes we wait in lines or on hold just to be told we need to go elsewhere and start over again. This could reduce some of that stress if it functions correctly.