Tools & Platforms
The Critical Communications Review – Intrado’s AI Voice Translation and Transcription Technology Speeds 9-1-1 Response

Control rooms | 2025-07-23
Automatic Language Detection and Translation Improves Call Handling Efficiency and Emergency Dispatch Accuracy.
Intrado Life & Safety, Inc. (Intrado), the leader in 9-1-1 communications and technology, today announced the availability of AI-powered Voice-to-Text (VTT) translation and transcription technology. AI supports emergency response and enables public safety answering points (PSAPs) to seamlessly communicate with callers in over 40 languages, helping diverse communities across the United States and Canada. Intrado’s AI VTT translation and transcription solution will be available for demonstration at APCO 2025 from July 27-30.
Intrado’s AI VTT translation and transcription technology is designed to work on both legacy and Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) network infrastructure, providing all PSAPs with Intrado VIPERor VIPER NextGenTM the ability to efficiently communicate with a large number of emergency callers. The solution presents PSAP users with a live conversation transcript containing translations in both the caller’s and telecommunicator’s native languages. From the perspective of the 9-1-1 caller, the translation is immediate and communicated audibly, preventing conversation delays and reducing time-to-response.
“Our intuitive, near real time translation and transcription capabilities leverage the latest advancements in AI and natural language processing,” said Brian Davenport, Chief Strategy Officer at Intrado. “It’s integrated directly into 9-1-1 telecommunicator workflows, and users can quickly respond to non-English speakers without engaging a separate application or third-party interpreter.”
VTT transcription and translation enable 9-1-1 telecommunicators to transfer calls more effectively without compromising precision or reliability. Automated language detection and translation also reduces the stress associated with communicating in a foreign language to those experiencing an emergency.
“9-1-1 telecommunicators are essential to the protection of those who depend on fast emergency response in situations when every second counts,” said Andrew Knapp, Director for Hamilton County Emergency Communications in Ohio. “We look forward to the opportunities Intrado’s translation technology offers to enhance how we serve our community and support the well-being of our PSAP staff.”
Tools & Platforms
Somalia, Saudi Arabia Sign Pact on AI and Space Technology

Somalia and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement in Riyadh to cooperate on regulating artificial intelligence and space technology.
The deal was concluded during the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR-25) by Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, head of Somalia’s National Communications Authority, and Haitham Al-Ohaly, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission.
Officials said the partnership will promote regulatory cooperation, knowledge sharing, and frameworks for responsible growth in AI and space sectors. The two nations also plan to explore infrastructure sharing and broader digital collaboration.
The GSR-25, co-hosted by the International Telecommunication Union and Saudi Arabia, brought together representatives from more than 190 countries to address global digital challenges.
Tools & Platforms
South Africa Moves to Establish National AI Network of Experts

The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) joined government, academia, and major tech firms in Pretoria on Aug. 7 to discuss creating South Africa’s National Artificial Intelligence Network of Experts.
The forum, convened by Deputy Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Mondli Gungubele, will guide sectoral implementation of the country’s forthcoming AI policy. The Draft National AI Policy aims to help South Africa harness opportunities, mitigate risks, and maintain sovereign control over AI development while aligning with global standards.
Representatives included Microsoft SA, Meta, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Human Sciences Research Council, Research ICT Africa, the Central University of Technology, and the South African Local Government Association.
Prof. Anish Kurien of TUT stressed academia’s role in translating research into public policy, while counterparts highlighted AI’s potential to transform services, skills, and governance. Gungubele called AI “a general-purpose technology akin to electricity or the internet” with the power to drive inclusion across sectors.
Once adopted, South Africa will join Morocco, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Senegal as African countries with national AI strategies.
Tools & Platforms
How Mastercard’s (MA) AI-Powered Payments Push and Tech Partnerships Have Changed Its Investment Story

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In the past week, Mastercard announced a suite of AI-powered payment products and developer tools, expanded consulting services, and new collaborations with global technology leaders such as Stripe, Google, and Ant International, supporting a rollout of its Agent Pay program to all U.S. cardholders by the end of the holiday season.
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This initiative positions Mastercard at the forefront of advancing secure, intelligent commerce by making AI-enabled payments and agentic capabilities accessible and scalable for digital merchants and platforms worldwide.
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We’ll now examine how Mastercard’s push into AI-powered payments and its collaborations with technology partners could reshape its investment narrative.
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If you’re a Mastercard shareholder, you likely believe in the ongoing digital shift in payments, the company’s powerful network effects, and its ability to grow by expanding into new revenue streams like AI-powered services. The recent launch of AI tools and expanded partnerships has the potential to support growth drivers, especially deeper collaboration with tech partners for value-added services, but the most important short-term catalyst remains increasing digital and e-commerce transaction volume. For now, these AI announcements don’t fundamentally alter the biggest risk: faster adoption of alternative payment rails in key emerging markets.
Among the recent announcements, the release of Mastercard’s On-Demand Decisioning (ODD) stands out. This solution offers financial institutions more direct control and flexibility over transaction approvals, supporting the broader catalyst of helping partners automate, personalize and scale digital payments. As Mastercard continues to expand its value-added services beyond core payments, such tools could help reinforce its differentiated service offering.
However, investors should be aware that while Mastercard accelerates innovation, an even faster shift by consumers and merchants to alternative payment options could…
Read the full narrative on Mastercard (it’s free!)
Mastercard’s outlook anticipates $42.6 billion in revenue and $19.9 billion in earnings by 2028. This requires a 12.1% annual revenue growth rate and a $6.3 billion increase in earnings from the current $13.6 billion.
Uncover how Mastercard’s forecasts yield a $644.55 fair value, a 11% upside to its current price.
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