Ards and North Down Borough Council will soon begin a free trial of an AI-powered phone assistant named Andy. The software is designed to answer thousands of routine enquiries, potentially freeing council employees from the burden of handling these calls.

Andy will be trained to manage queries in five areas, including planning, waste, and building control. Callers who prefer to speak to a human can bypass the system entirely. Council officers told a committee meeting that the aim is for Andy to remove about half of all incoming phone calls.

The trial is provided by ICS.AI, a company that describes itself as the UK’s fastest growing private AI firm. It says its technology is already used by more than 20 councils. Officers confirmed that the same software operates in Derby and Bristol.

During the trial, the council will set up a test phone number and invite selected groups to make calls. Councillors have also been asked to test the system using typical constituent questions.

Alderman Martin McRandal asked whether the technology had been trialled elsewhere and expressed concern that its introduction could cause disruption. Alderman Stephen McIlveen pointed out that the council’s website currently has shortcomings, such as difficulties ordering extra bins. He noted that the waste department is especially hard to reach because callers often need to report missed collections or damaged bins. Officers responded that a new online bin widget is being developed to simplify those reports.

Councillor David Chambers asked about the potential cost to ratepayers if the trial succeeds and the council adopts Andy permanently. Council officers declined to provide a figure, stating that any permanent adoption would require a business case and would be a significant financial undertaking. Any associated costs would need to be approved by the council as part of that process.