Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Verizon Frontline. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
Artificial intelligence, drones, and robotics are quickly moving from emerging technologies to everyday tools for public safety agencies across the country.
A new Verizon Frontline Public Safety Communications Survey shows an increase in the daily use of these technologies, highlighting how first responders and public safety organizations are incorporating new tools into their day-to-day operations.
Patty Roze, Vice President of Public Sector Sales with Verizon, and Rob Lloyd, Executive Director of the Center for Digital Government and Center for Public Sector AI, discussed the findings and what agencies should consider as they adopt new technology.
Daily AI Use Nearly Triples
One of the biggest findings involves the growing use of artificial intelligence.
According to Roze, daily AI use among first responders has nearly tripled in one year, reaching 32%.
The survey also found that daily use involving AI, drones, and robotics increased from 15% to 26%, according to Roze. She said the findings indicate agencies are moving beyond simply exploring emerging technologies and are beginning to put them to work every day.
Technology Decisions Start With the Mission
As agencies consider adopting additional technology, Lloyd said those decisions should begin with their public safety mission.
He pointed to several challenges facing public safety leaders, including disasters, longer-lasting emergencies and increased coordination needs. According to Lloyd, agencies are balancing those challenges while seeking well-trained staff, effective technology and reliable partners.
The survey also highlights the importance agencies place on their communications infrastructure. According to Lloyd, more than three in four cited network resilience and service as a core operational requirement.
Why Network Reliability Matters
As public safety agencies depend more heavily on AI, drones, and connected technology, Roze said the network supporting those tools becomes increasingly important.
Verizon supports more than 45,000 public safety agencies nationwide, according to Roze. She said the company is seeing AI become increasingly integrated into everyday public safety operations.
Roze said agencies are using AI, drones, and connected technologies to help personnel perform their jobs more safely and efficiently, but emphasized that the tools depend on the networks operating behind them.
She also highlighted the Verizon Frontline network slice, which she said provides dedicated network resources for first responders to help move information faster and support informed decision-making in the field.
The findings point toward a public safety landscape in which emerging technology is becoming a more regular part of daily operations, while reliable communications infrastructure remains a central consideration for agencies implementing those tools.
For more information, visit Verizon.com/Frontline.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.