A recent report has revealed that tech companies are laying off employees in the thousands. That number is only expected to increase by the end of the year. Part of the reason is AI , where companies are turning to AI to replace some jobs that are normally done by humans. However, not all industries are affected similarly. In fact, a recent study by Verizon has revealed that AI could play a crucial role with first responders.
Verizon believes AI will benefit first responders
According to the Verizon study, it seems that nearly half of first responders anticipate that they will be using AI, drones, or robots on a daily basis within the next five years. In fact, 71% of them believe that AI will be a top priority. They also believe that it will be important when it comes to the future of public safety.
Alison Brooks, IDC Research VP, Worldwide Public Safety says, “We’re seeing a dramatic 13-point year-over-year surge in AI interest, with nearly half of respondents planning to integrate AI into their daily operations within five years while drone adoption and usage is expected to triple over the same timeframe. The FAA’s recent decision to relax visual line-of-sight requirements will only accelerate this trend, making drone integration an immediate priority rather than a distant consideration for public safety agencies.”
At the moment, 15% of respondents use drones and robots in their daily tasks. However, 48% expect this will become part of their daily operations in the next five years. This is the same situation for AI, where only 12% say they use AI solutions regularly. But at the same time, 46% anticipate that it will become their daily routine in the next few years.
According to the carrier ’s Maggie Hallbach, President of Verizon Frontline, “An increasing number of first responders are leveraging advanced communication tools and emerging technologies in their day-to-day operations. For example, the enhanced situational awareness provided by AI and the increased access to inhospitable and remote environments that robots and drones enable are helping revolutionize public safety and emergency response.”
The natural evolution
It’s not surprising that more believe that AI, robots, and drones are the way of the future. Drones allow first responders to cover more ground. While helicopters already do that, drones are more nimble and can get to places helicopters cannot. Robots are also crucial. They can navigate rough terrain and enter places that would otherwise prove dangerous or even fatal to humans.
Even the FAA is recognizing the importance of these technologies. The government agency has made some recent changes , such as looser visual line-of-sight rules. This will make drones more practical. So, while some industries are losing human employees to robots and AI, others are finding that they can actually work alongside these technologies.
