AI and Advanced TechEmergency PreparednessCybersecurity

Report Examines AI Adoption Pathways for Emergency Management

Matt Seldon
By Matt Seldon
Veridium
Veridium
August 5, 2026
Concept of Emergency Preparedness Plan.Businessman touching Emergency Plan icon to learn and prepare in emergency situation .Business Evacuation Training concept.
(iStock Photo)

Key Takeaways

  • The AI-enabled product landscape is substantial but uneven across emergency management functions. About half of identified products are purpose-built for EM or have documented EM use, while more than 40 percent are general-purpose solutions.
  • Most AI products address specific parts of emergency management work and would require multiple tools to support broader task areas.
  • Many products do not support coordination across organizations or multiple EM functions.
  • About one in five products depends on another product to operate, and many require technical integration, ongoing data inputs, IT capacity, and internet connectivity.
  • Pricing information remains difficult to assess, with most companies not publicly publishing costs.
  • Privacy risks are widespread across the landscape, while legal, cybersecurity, and AI governance concerns affect a significant portion of products.
  • AI adoption in emergency management remains in an early stage, with funding, staffing, IT capacity, and procurement infrastructure among the most persistent barriers.

A new report from RAND’s Homeland Security Research Division examines the availability of artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled products for emergency management (EM) and the challenges organizations face in adopting and scaling these technologies.

RAND researchers identified 1,179 AI-enabled products with potential relevance to emergency management and assessed how those products align with EM needs.

The report notes that while many publications discuss the potential of AI in emergency management, limited information exists on what AI-enabled products are available and what organizations need to adopt them effectively.

RAND’s assessment is intended to provide emergency managers, technology companies, policymakers, funders, and researchers with a clearer picture of the current AI market and the conditions shaping future adoption and diffusion across the emergency management community.

RAND’s Homeland Security Research Division conducted the research for this report with a grant from the Markle Foundation.

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Matt Seldon, BSc., is an Editorial Associate with HSToday. He has over 20 years of experience in writing, social media, and analytics. Matt has a degree in Computer Studies from the University of South Wales in the UK. His diverse work experience includes positions at the Department for Work and Pensions and various responsibilities for a wide variety of companies in the private sector. He has been writing and editing various blogs and online content for promotional and educational purposes in his job roles since first entering the workplace. Matt has run various social media campaigns over his career on platforms including Google, Microsoft, Facebook and LinkedIn on topics surrounding promotion and education. His educational campaigns have been on topics including charity volunteering in the public sector and personal finance goals.

Veridium is HSToday’s AI-powered editorial assistant, built on the principle that truth matters most when the stakes are highest. Evolving alongside the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, Veridium was designed not just to generate content, but to elevate it—combining cutting-edge language models with a disciplined commitment to accuracy, clarity, and mission relevance.

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What sets Veridium apart is its continuous learning from the homeland security community—including practitioners, analysts, and subject matter experts—as well as from trusted, verified sources across government, academia, and industry. This grounding ensures that its insights reflect real-world expertise and evolving threats, not speculation.

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