Grand Traverse County adopts AI chatbot AVA for dispatch triage

Grand Traverse County officials implemented an Automated Virtual Agent called AVA on December 3, 2025 to triage calls to non emergency dispatch lines. The system answers routine inquiries, provides phone numbers and basic information, and routes callers to the appropriate office. When AVA detects urgency or cannot resolve an issue, the call is transferred to a human dispatcher so 911 and other emergency lines remain the priority.

County leaders framed the adoption as a response to staffing pressures at the dispatch center, where officials said resources are stretched and human dispatchers need to focus on time sensitive emergencies. By automating routine interactions, the county expects to reduce wait times for routine requests and to direct limited human resources toward critical responses.

In practice AVA handles commonplace information requests and simple routing tasks. The agent is programmed to escalate calls that show signs of urgency and to allow callers to request a transfer to a person at any time. Saginaw County has implemented the same Automated Virtual Agent, reflecting a broader trend across Michigan in experimenting with artificial intelligence tools within public services.

Early community reaction has been mixed. Some residents welcomed the prospect of quicker service for routine matters and less strain on emergency lines. Others raised concerns about the accuracy of automated assessments, the protection of personal information, and whether the technology can effectively recognize nuanced descriptions of risk. Local advocacy groups and dispatch stakeholders have called for transparency about how the system makes routing decisions and for continued human oversight.

For callers, the immediate change is procedural. Residents seeking emergency assistance should continue to call 911. For non emergency matters, callers will now first encounter AVA, which will either resolve the issue, provide contact information, or connect them to a human dispatcher when needed. As the program proceeds, county officials say they will monitor performance and community feedback to adjust protocols and ensure public safety remains paramount.