Motorola Solutions, a Chicago-based technology provider with 21,000 employees worldwide, is revolutionizing emergency response systems with artificial intelligence. The company has launched Vesta NXT, an AI-powered software platform designed to help 911 call handlers manage the estimated 240 million emergency calls made annually in the United States.
The challenge facing emergency services is significant: fragmented response systems across various agencies create dangerous delays, while call handlers face intense pressure managing distressed callers who may be speaking rapidly or unclearly. Mobile 911 calls add complexity because they’re routed based on cell-tower locations rather than actual caller positions, requiring redirects that add precious seconds to response times.
Jehan Wickramasuriya, corporate vice president of AI and platforms at Motorola Solutions, describes this as fundamentally “a data problem” requiring massive information transmission during each call. The company’s solution consolidates this data onto a single AI-enabled platform.
Motorola Solutions structures its AI research around specialized domains like computer vision and speech and audio processing, with a core team of approximately 50 scientists, developers, and engineers collaborating with hundreds of product managers and UX specialists.
The Vesta NXT platform uses AI to surface critical details including caller location, medical profiles (for those who opt-in), and optimal building entrances for first responders. The system features real-time translation and transcription capabilities, enabling communication between English and non-English speakers. AI also helps triage nonemergency calls about issues like abandoned vehicles or stolen property, allowing handlers to focus on life-threatening situations.
The results are impressive: approximately 60% of US 911 call centers already use Motorola’s call-handling software, and the company is transitioning existing users to the AI-enhanced system. The technology currently translates millions of minutes of audio monthly. Lee County became the first Public Safety Answering Point to deploy Vesta NXT, with administrators reporting that AI-generated searchable transcripts and real-time call summaries helped save time and reduce stress for call handlers.
Key Quotes
You hope to never call 911, but when you do, it needs to work.
Jehan Wickramasuriya, corporate vice president of AI and platforms at Motorola Solutions, emphasizes the critical nature of emergency response systems and why reliability is paramount when implementing AI in life-or-death situations.
At the end of the day it’s a data problem, because a lot of information needs to get transmitted in each call.
Wickramasuriya explains the fundamental challenge that AI is solving—consolidating and processing massive amounts of critical information during emergency calls when every second counts.
AI is working in the background to help the call taker attend to the person on the other end of the line.
This quote illustrates Motorola’s philosophy of AI augmentation rather than replacement, emphasizing how the technology handles data processing so human call handlers can focus on the emotional and interpersonal aspects of emergency response.
Our Take
Motorola Solutions’ implementation of AI in 911 systems represents a mature, responsible approach to AI deployment in critical infrastructure. Rather than pursuing flashy automation, the company focuses on solving specific pain points: data consolidation, language barriers, and call handler workload.
The 60% market share is particularly noteworthy—it suggests this isn’t experimental technology but proven infrastructure being enhanced with AI capabilities. The transition strategy from legacy Vesta 911 to AI-enabled Vesta NXT demonstrates pragmatic enterprise AI adoption.
What’s especially compelling is the human-centered design philosophy. By addressing call handler stress and staffing challenges, Motorola acknowledges that AI’s value isn’t just technical efficiency but workforce sustainability. The focus on understanding staffing needs and identifying high-stress situations shows AI being used for workforce analytics and employee wellbeing—an often-overlooked application.
This case study should serve as a blueprint for AI in government services: clear problem definition, measurable outcomes, and human augmentation rather than replacement.
Why This Matters
This development represents a critical application of AI technology in life-or-death situations where seconds matter. Emergency response has historically been hampered by fragmented systems and information silos, making AI integration particularly impactful for public safety.
The 60% market penetration demonstrates how AI is rapidly becoming infrastructure-critical in emergency services, affecting millions of Americans. This case study illustrates AI’s potential beyond commercial applications—it’s becoming essential for public safety infrastructure.
The focus on reducing call handler stress and workload addresses a significant workforce challenge in emergency services, where burnout and staffing shortages are common. By automating routine tasks and providing real-time assistance, AI enables human workers to focus on the emotional and critical-thinking aspects of emergency response.
This also highlights an important trend: AI as an augmentation tool rather than replacement, working “in the background” to enhance human capabilities. As municipalities face budget constraints and staffing challenges, AI-powered solutions like Vesta NXT may become standard infrastructure, setting precedents for AI adoption in other government services.
Recommended Reading
For those interested in learning more about artificial intelligence, machine learning, and effective AI communication, here are some excellent resources: