Detroit’s new AI chatbot is here to answer residents’ phone calls – Outlier Media
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A new AI chatbot — called “Emily” — is answering calls to Detroit’s Department of Neighborhoods (DON). The pilot program, operating in Districts 3 and 4, is testing the technology’s ability to provide faster responses to residents.
Earlier this week, we gave the AI agent a call. When asked about curbside yard waste pickup and street salting, the bot referred us to the Department of Public Works without providing any way to reach them. When it couldn’t answer directly, it told us to search the city’s website.
In the 48 hours since, we’ve spoken with Emily’s developers, as well as district managers and a city spokesperson. The problems we encountered appear to have been fixed. But we wanted to better understand the issues this program aims to solve for residents and district managers, and the developers’ vision for expanding it citywide and possibly to other departments.
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The Department of Neighborhoods assigns one or two managers to each district to help residents navigate city services, like reporting blight or abandoned vehicles, addressing issues with trash pickup, and connecting with the Detroit Land Bank Authority to purchase vacant lots.
District 3 Manager Kayana Sessoms said each phone call she handles can last anywhere from 10-45 minutes. While she’s on a call, other calls go to voicemail. It can take 24-48 hours for those calls to get returned. Calls outside business hours go straight to voicemail, and incomplete messages require a follow-up before a solution can even begin. Sessoms said Emily is “able to do the work of connecting and gathering that information, so that we can be more efficient and effective when we’re calling back our residents.”
Sessoms said the chatbot has helped her office be more responsive and efficient. Sometimes, the AI agent can resolve a request immediately, which Sessoms said can alleviate anxiety about simple questions.
Emily was developed by Mario Kelly and Gabe Wilson of the startup Believe in AI. Since launching the bot on Oct. 13, Wilson said, it has fielded about 980 calls and successfully resolved 224 of them without needing to escalate to a district manager.
Wilson said the more people use Emily, “the smarter it will get.” If it can’t answer a frequently asked question, Wilson and Kelly can manually update the bot. The service generates regular reports that summarize call data for district managers and the developers, and weekly reports for DON to track top concerns from each district.
Besides efficiency, Wilson said Emily’s “emotional intelligence” sets it apart from other AI voice agents. During our initial call, the bot told us it could “sense” our “frustration.” In a follow-up call, it laughed when we asked which Coney was better — Lafayette or American.
Sessoms said DON plans to continue educating residents, especially older Detroiters, on how to use Emily. Many of these residents have expressed interest in learning and engaging with new technology, Sessoms said. “We’re here to help them do that as well.”
Wilson’s business partner Kelly said he hopes to expand this service to all seven districts and other departments if the city finds it beneficial. Emily operates 24/7 and currently can handle up to 18 calls at a time — a capacity that can be expanded. “I just have to push a button,” Wilson said.
For now, residents in Districts 3 and 4 can try out Emily by calling one of their district managers. But if they prefer a human, they can text or email.
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by Noah Kincade, Outlier Media
December 18, 2025
Noah (he/him) believes people benefit their communities by participating in civic media and committing acts of journalism. He enjoys being anywhere with live music or tacos. More by Noah Kincade
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