EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio - Calls to non-emergency lines in some parts of the state, as close as Summit County, are now being answered by AI. 

The advanced technology can be helpful to centers dealing with high amounts of calls but for smaller answering points like the one in East Liverpool getting the system is unlikely. 

“We don’t have the funding we’re not going to have the funding,” Chief John Lane of the East Liverpool Police Department said .”Something like that funding is always going to be the biggest challenge cause like down here we don't have the funding for anything like that.”

This center averages about 50 non-emergency calls a day. Chief Lane said many calls require a skilled human asking the right questions.

“When you're asked where they'll say well home. Well we don't know where home is, you have to give us the address…if there's a weapon, what type of weapon, if [there’s] a car, what kind of car, what color, license plate,” Chief Lane said. “Just information I don't know how AI can handle something like that.”

Mahoning County dispatch centers don't use any AI and are currently focused on getting the 911 texting feature up and running. 

Trumbull County is considering the upgrade. The director of the center, Tacy McDonough, told 21 News they’re looking into the system to help their dispatchers handle the high number of calls on the non-emergency line but it's a long way from becoming a reality.

Lane said he's never researched AI because he doesn't believe it will ever be a possibility for his department to afford. He explained even if everyone else upgrades it wont put them behind and they keep operating per usual taking calls the old fashioned way. 

Chief Lane runs one of five Public Safety Answering Points in Columbiana County. Others are located Lisbon, Columbiana, East Palestine and Salem. Each director of those centers can make an independent decision on whether to bring in AI for the non-emergency line. To implement AI on the main 911 emergency line the county wide 911 committee would have to approve it.