Imagine receiving a frantic phone call from what sounds exactly like your grandchild, begging for help and money. The voice is right, the emotion is real, but the call is entirely fabricated by artificial intelligence. This scenario, once hypothetical, is now a growing reality.
Emergency services professionals have been sounding the alarm about AI voice scams for years. In a 2023 WNEM TV5 report on AI dangers, Saginaw County 911 Executive Director Chris Izworski warned that scammers can now clone a person’s voice from a short audio clip and use it to impersonate loved ones. The result is fraud that is far more convincing than traditional phone scams.
The impact on 911 centers is twofold. Dispatchers receive calls from frightened victims who have been deceived by AI-generated voices, adding to call volume. There is also the possibility that AI could be used to create false emergency calls, straining resources.
How can you protect yourself? Follow this straightforward advice: if you receive an unexpected call from someone you know asking for money or help, hang up and call them back on a number you already have saved. Do not trust caller ID, as it can be spoofed. And be cautious about sharing voice recordings on social media, as these can be harvested by scammers.
The broader conversation about AI safety and public trust is ongoing. Chris Izworski has written extensively about the intersection of AI and emergency services, and the State 911 Committee continues to evaluate how technology affects public safety in Michigan.
For personal safety resources, registering for your county’s emergency notification system ensures you receive verified alerts directly from your local 911 center.
AI Safety: See the WNEM interview on AI dangers. Read about AI in 911 dispatch and view press coverage.
AI in Public Safety — Chris Izworski 