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🇰🇷 South Korea /Disasters & Emergencies

Japan to deploy AI for 119 emergency call response by 2030

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • Japan plans to use artificial intelligence to respond to 119 emergency calls by 2030 to address firefighter shortages.
  • The AI system will analyze emergency calls, provide response suggestions to commanders, and help assess damage during large-scale disasters.
  • This initiative aims to ensure swift and precise disaster response despite a growing lack of local firefighters and emergency medical personnel.

Japan is set to integrate artificial intelligence into its emergency response system for 119 calls, aiming for full implementation by 2030. This strategic move by the Japanese government is designed to tackle the critical shortage of firefighters and emergency personnel, particularly in regional areas.

The Japanese government has prepared a plan to transition to a system that responds to fire department 119 calls using artificial intelligence by 2030.

— Nihon Keizai ShimbunReporting on the Japanese government's plan to implement AI in emergency response.

The AI system will be capable of receiving emergency calls, analyzing their content for urgency and importance, and then presenting relevant information and response strategies to human commanders on site. In the event of major disasters, the AI will also be tasked with consolidating information to assess damage and gather details on individuals awaiting rescue.

The AI will respond to fire department calls, analyze the content, and suggest response measures to the field commander.

— Nihon Keizai ShinbunDescribing the core functions of the planned AI system.

Companies like NEC are already contributing to this effort by developing AI systems that can interpret specialized medical terminology from callers and restructure disorganized speech into clear, actionable information for emergency responders. For instance, the system can quickly parse a frantic caller's description of a collapsed family member into structured data points like age, condition, and mobility issues.

In the event of a large-scale disaster, AI will be responsible for consolidating various information to assess damage and collect information on those awaiting rescue.

— Nihon Keizai ShinbunExplaining the AI's role in major disaster scenarios.

This technological advancement is not only about enhancing the speed and precision of disaster response but is also a necessary adaptation to a shrinking workforce. The Japanese government anticipates that AI will enable a more efficient fire service, allowing for accurate information analysis and rapid decision-making even with limited human resources. South Korea is also pursuing similar AI-driven emergency systems, planning a significant investment to build a next-generation integrated 119 system by 2027.

Even if callers speak inaccurately in a tense situation, it can quickly restructure and organize the information provided to the field commander.

— NECHighlighting the AI's ability to process unclear or frantic calls.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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