AI receptionist at Yorkshire GP surgeries struggles with local accents

An AI receptionist system called EMMA, used at some GP surgeries in Yorkshire, is struggling to understand broad local accents, according to health watchdog Healthwatch Rotherham. This has caused frustration and led some patients to visit surgeries in person instead of using the phone. The system, designed to reduce phone waiting times, sometimes fails to interpret inquiries from patients with strong Yorkshire accents. Healthwatch manager Kym Gleeson noted that accents vary significantly across South Yorkshire, and the technology's limitations have particularly affected vulnerable and elderly patients. QuantumLoopAI, EMMA's developer, said the system understands many dialects and 17 languages, with calls transferred to humans if needed. The company reported over 90 per cent of patients saw service improvements, though it acknowledged an adjustment period for the technology.