Derby City Council’s AI assistant Darcie now handles resident phone queries using GenAI, cutting call transfers by 84%.
Derby City Council has introduced Darcie, the UK’s first GenAI-powered phone assistant for the public sector, developed with ICS.AI and Microsoft. Using generative and natural language AI, Darcie allows residents to speak naturally over the phone to get instant help with council services. This marks a major shift from static menus to dynamic, intelligent conversations.
GenAI solves a key issue: high call volumes and limited accessibility. Darcie now handles queries across multiple languages and platforms, including phone and web. This makes the service truly channel-agnostic. On its first day, the system answered 57% of calls without needing human transfer and reduced peak-time call handovers by 84%. These numbers reflect both operational savings and better user experience.
The assistant draws from a robust GenAI model hosted on Microsoft Azure, enabling secure, enterprise-grade performance. ICS.AI’s collaboration with Microsoft’s advanced AI team ensured rigorous testing before deployment. The platform’s flexibility means Darcie can expand its knowledge and serve residents better over time, adapting to evolving questions and use cases.
By integrating GenAI into everyday public services, Derby is setting a national benchmark. Residents benefit from 24/7 multilingual access without needing digital literacy or internet access. For the council, Darcie reduces staff burden and supports inclusive service delivery. The result is a smarter, more efficient, and more equitable way to support local communities.