AI Programme Launches to Support Unhoused Residents in San Francisco

A new AI-powered programme has launched in the San Francisco Bay Area to support unhoused residents with urgent medical and mental health needs. The initiative, led by Future Communities Institute (FCI), will use artificial intelligence to speed up care for thousands living on the streets. Homelessness in the region has risen by 6% in the past year, with two-thirds of those affected sleeping rough.

The programme arrives as the Bay Area's unhoused population has grown by over 46% in the last decade. Organisers say the system will help people access treatment before they reach crisis point, easing pressure on overstretched emergency services.

The project brings together FCI, Five Keys, ReImagine Freedom, and Akido Labs. FCI will oversee the programme's design, ensuring it meets community needs and provides clear data reporting. Akido Labs' AI system, ScopeAI, will play a central role by running full patient visits without constant human input.

ScopeAI can start patients on medically assisted treatment (MAT) for substance use disorders within four hours of first contact. This rapid response aims to fill a critical gap, as the region lacks enough medical providers to care for unhoused people with complex conditions. The programme will also expand street medicine teams and train community health workers to deliver personalised care more widely.

Akido's integrated care model, developed alongside the communities it serves, will be rolled out first. The goal is to scale up support efficiently, reducing delays that often leave vulnerable people without help until their situation becomes an emergency.

The AI-driven programme will initially focus on the Bay Area, where homelessness continues to climb. By combining technology with community-led care, it aims to reach more people faster than traditional services. If successful, the model could offer a blueprint for other regions facing similar challenges with unhoused populations and strained healthcare systems.