Japan to Transition 119 Emergency Calls to AI Automated Response by 2030 Amid Staffing Shortages

The Japanese government has set a goal to transition 119 emergency fire and ambulance dispatch calls to an artificial intelligence (AI) automated response system by 2030 to address the shortage of emergency personnel, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported.

The Japanese government is set to present this plan, part of its "Vertical AI" strategy, at the AI Strategy Council meeting held today (July 10).

The core of the plan for the firefighting sector involves AI automatically responding to emergency calls and analyzing the information to suggest response strategies to dispatchers and incident commanders.

Furthermore, AI will be utilized to precisely identify the location of emergency calls for efficient deployment of fire brigades, as well as to gather information on damage and individuals awaiting rescue during large-scale disasters.

However, as some emergency calls involve life-threatening situations, the plan also includes provisions to allow human intervention when necessary.

This policy is driven by the increasingly severe shortage of emergency medical personnel, particularly in regional areas.

Nikkei reported that this has highlighted the need to establish a firefighting system capable of accurately analyzing information and making rapid decisions even with limited staff.

Meanwhile, according to the Vertical AI plan, 20 sectors with high growth potential, including shipbuilding, drug development, and information and communications, will be designated as priority investment areas. The Japanese government plans to develop specific measures for each sector by 2030.
 
(Photo: Screenshot from "Recording Firefighting 1", Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.