Two AI assistants introduced to streamline customer services reach a major milestone this week. Darcie, Derby City Council’s digital helper, and her counterpart at Derby Homes, Ali, have officially turned three years old.

Working with its tech partner ICS.AI, Derby City Council was the first UK local authority to replace its main switchboard with a "digital front door" in 2023 by introducing Darcie for the Council’s customer service centre, and Ali for Derby Homes’ housing enquiries.

The digital helpers are part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to using technology to improve the lives of the people of Derby and build a smarter, more sustainable city.

Since their launch, Darcie and Ali have handled more than 3.2 million routine enquiries. Data shows that 54% of Darcie's cases and 44% of Ali's cases are answered without any input from staff. Furthermore, 77% of residents who provide feedback about their experience with Darcie on the website describe it as positive.

Most residents contact the Council with similar questions about a few key services. By handling these routine queries, Darcie frees up human staff to focus on more complex tasks and provide personalised support to those who need it most.

The technology reached a new level in May 2025, when Darcie received a major generative AI upgrade. This allowed the digital helper to understand queries more accurately and provide more natural answers. It also enabled residents to ask questions about Adult Social Care for the first time. A similar upgrade for Ali is planned in the coming months.

Traditional phone menus often struggle to handle the high volume of requests councils receive, and rarely provide help after hours. In contrast, Darcie and Ali are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and can handle multiple requests at the same time.

This ensures that residents can instantly access information and support whenever they need it -including evenings, weekends, and public holidays -without waiting in a call queue. Residents who have more complex needs can still choose to speak to a human advisor during normal office hours.

Darcie now supports nine community languages, from Arabic to Urdu. Each is available over the phone through a dedicated number and on the website by changing the language settings.

Councillor Hardyal Dhindsa, Cabinet Member for Digital and Organisational Transformation, said:

Derby City Council is at the forefront of using generative AI in local government. We are one of the first councils in the country to apply this advanced technology in such a practical way to protect services.

Our goal has always been to help residents get quick, accurate answers to everyday questions. Darcie and Ali are a vital part of that mission. They help us make sure every resident can easily get the information and support they need, exactly when they need it.

It also means human staff can spend more time providing personalised, face-to-face support to those who need it most. We are proud to be leading the way in building a smarter and more connected city for everyone.

Derby City Council’s pioneering approach to AI has been recognised on the national stage, securing two trophies at the iESE Public Sector Transformation Awards.

The Council has also been shortlisted for several major honours, including the MJ (Municipal Journal) Awards and the LGC (Local Government Chronicle) Awards.

Overall, the wider AI programme has now identified £12.25 million in savings across the authority.