New research shows strong public support for using AI and modern digital tools in Triple Zero and 111 emergency responses, with Australians and New Zealanders indicating they are ready for next-generation call-handling systems that go beyond traditional voice calls.
The independent study, conducted in September 2025 among more than 2,500 residents across Australia and New Zealand, found that 86 per cent of respondents feel comfortable sharing their exact location with emergency services. A significant proportion also supports applying AI to detect critical words during emergency calls—such as “knife” or “collision”—to trigger faster response and prioritisation.
The findings highlight a growing public expectation that emergency services will modernise systems that have remained largely unchanged since the 1960s. While people are increasingly willing to share location, medical and wearable health data, many believe emergency services are not yet capable of receiving or acting on that information.
Traditional phone calls still dominate as the preferred way to contact emergency services (88 per cent), but respondents also pointed to SMS/text messaging (41 per cent), smartphone apps (38 per cent) and video calls (15 per cent) as important alternatives. The generational divide is significant: 95 per cent of Baby Boomers prefer calling Triple Zero directly, while 43 per cent of Millennials favour smartphone apps, underscoring a shift toward richer, digital-first communication channels.
Craig Anderson, executive chair of the National Emergency Communications Working Group, said the findings reinforce the urgency of modernising emergency call-handling platforms. “The Triple Zero and 111 hotlines have provided a lifeline for the public in times of crisis for more than 60 years, but the need to modernise emergency call handling technology has never been greater. These research findings show that communities expect emergency services to keep pace with rapid technology change, as well as clear generational shifts among younger users to provide more ways to contact emergency services in addition to voice calls.”
The research also reveals insights into the public’s trust in AI for emergency response. While 78 per cent of respondents were initially unaware that AI is already being used or tested in emergency call-handling, awareness dramatically increases trust. Respondents aware of AI usage were nearly three times more likely to trust it (56 per cent) than those unaware (19 per cent). Support is strong for AI-enabled keyword detection (58 per cent), urgency ranking of calls (55 per cent), automated threat identification in live video (52 per cent) and real-time translation (52 per cent).
Other key findings include:
- A gap between willingness to share information and belief that emergency services can use it effectively, especially for medical data and wearable health insights.
- Mobile-first scam and fraud attempts are rising across the region, increasing demand for better caller verification and situational awareness tools.
- Younger generations expect media-rich tools—apps, video and text integration—as part of core emergency response services.
Con Balaskas, managing director of Motorola Solutions Australia and New Zealand, said the public’s expectations now mirror the capabilities they use in everyday life. “In an era where we can track the arrival of rideshare services and use AI to deliver faster insights and improve our decision making, it’s not surprising that the public wants to see their emergency services make use of these innovations to help keep our communities safer. These findings provide valuable insights to help public safety agencies align their technology modernisation strategies with community needs and expectations.”
The report provides guidance for agencies planning the next wave of emergency communications upgrades, including modernised call-handling platforms, computer-aided dispatch systems, and the integration of AI and multimedia capabilities to support faster, more informed responses.
