20 August 2026

AI receptionist Emma struggles to understand Yorkshire accents at GP surgeries

• QuantumLoopAI's Emma, an AI system answering calls at UK GP surgeries, is frustrating patients in South Yorkshire who say it cannot understand their local accents, according to Healthwatch Rotherham.
• Patients reported hanging up without booking appointments because Emma failed to comprehend their speech, with particular issues among older people and those less comfortable with digital technology.
• The company claims Emma understands 17 languages and wide accent ranges, transferring calls to human staff when confused, but the watchdog says this happens too often in the region.
• GPs remain legally required to provide alternative ways for patients to access services if Emma proves difficult, such as in-person visits or other booking methods.
• Emma was designed to eliminate phone queue wait times by answering calls instantly, but accent comprehension failures are undermining that goal for some communities.

Reported by The Guardian