Siri proved to be more than just a digital assistant when it helped a 4-year-old boy save his mother's life. Apple's AI became a lifesaver after the young boy was able to call for help with its assistance.
Roman was in their Kenley, Croydon home along with his mother and two brothers when he discovered his mother lying on the floor unconscious. The boy then used his mother's finger to unlock the iPhone through the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Roman then used Siri to call 999 which is the number for emergency service in the United Kingdom similar to the 911 of the United States.
Roman first though that his mother was dead. The handler of the call asked him where his mother was and to go get her. Roman told the operator, "We can't, she's dead". Roman also told the person at the other end of the line that his mother was "closing her eyes and she's not breathing".
Redmond Pie noted that Roman was not able to give the operator their complete address. He did mention "Road 22" before the handler figured out that the family was in Kenley. Emergency services was dispatched and reached the home in 13 minutes. According to Daily Mail, the responders revived the woman at the scene who was later taken to the hospital for further diagnosis.
Much of the credit goes to the quick-thinking young boy who was able to navigate the iPhone and find Siri. What transpired is a welcome development in the face of some of the negativity of artificial intelligence and digital assistants. Amazon's Alexa, in particular, has been involved in some controversies as of late including being witness to a murder, ordering dollhouses for TV viewers, and spewing NSFW words in front of a toddler.
While some parents prefer their children not to use gadgets like computers and smartphones at an early age, it would be wise to at least teach them how to use them to contact authorities or seek medical help. It is important that they know what other things they need to do in various emergency scenarios.
