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Britain’s first AI police assistant goes live in trial — but it’s virtual, not robotic (London briefing)
The UK has taken a cautious step into policing with artificial intelligence: a new AI virtual assistant called “Bobbi” has been launched in a trial to answer non-emergency public queries for two forces, while separate trials of drones and robot dogs continue to test physical robotics for frontline support. The move underlines how forces are experimenting with automation to ease pressure on call handlers — but it also raises questions about scope, transparency and oversight.
What’s happening
Thames Valley Police and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have rolled out Bobbi, an AI-driven virtual assistant designed to respond to frequently asked, non-emergency questions and point people towards the right services and information. Bobbi uses force-provided (closed-source) information — the same guidance call handlers consult — and is explicitly not intended for emergency use or to investigate crimes. The trial launched in late November 2025.
Local spokespeople say the assistant is aimed at reducing demand for human call handlers and digital desks, so staff can focus on urgent incidents. Bobbi interacts in a conversational way and can signpost users to forms, advice pages or the right local team. The creators stress the system is a tool to assist the public and the service, not to replace policing work.
Not a walking robot on the beat
Although headlines about “police robots” often conjure images of roaming, humanoid machines, Bobbi is a chatbot: a virtual, web-facing assistant. Separately, the UK has been trialling physical robotic technologies in limited roles — for example, robotic dogs for hazardous reconnaissance and drones as rapid responders feeding live intelligence to officers. Those trials are for specific operational tasks and are subject to separate testing, legal and ethical reviews. The virtual assistant trial should not be confused with fully autonomous street patrol robots.
Safeguards, transparency and public trust
Critics and civil-liberties groups warn that any AI in policing must be transparent, auditable and used with clear human oversight. Key concerns include data protection, how training data is selected, whether biases could creep into automated advice, and ensuring routes for redress when the assistant gives incorrect guidance. Police forces involved say Bobbi relies only on force-provided information and that any escalation to a human is straightforward — but watchdogs are watching closely.
What the forces say
In statements accompanying the launch, Chief Officers emphasised Bobbi’s role as an assistant to the public and staff, not a replacement for people answering calls. They noted the trial will be closely evaluated to measure accuracy, user satisfaction, demand reduction and any unintended consequences before any wider rollout is considered.
Looking ahead
The trial is part of a wider UK pattern of experimenting with automation in policing: Met Police drone pilots in London, robot-dog tests by some forces, and virtual assistants elsewhere. Each technology brings different benefits and risks. Virtual assistants may offer immediate load-saving benefits with relatively low physical-safety risk, while drones and robot dogs raise greater operational, legal and ethical questions that require detailed frameworks before widespread deployment. Public engagement, transparency of evaluation results, and clear rules on accountability will be crucial if more AI and robotic tools are to be adopted.
Bottom line: Bobbi marks the UK’s first public-facing AI police virtual assistant trial — a software step into AI-enabled policing rather than a robot on London’s streets. It’s an incremental experiment with potential benefits for stretched services, but it comes with the usual caveats about oversight, privacy and the need for transparent evaluation before any wider adoption.
Attached is a news article regarding the new police AI robot being tested on the streets of London
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdxw9xnk7rzo.amp
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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