Source proof for Madrid City Council pilots PALOMA, an AI calling system that detects unwanted loneliness in people over 75

…analyst Added on: 17 Jul 2026 Updated by: OECD analyst Updated on: 21 Jul 2026 PALOMA is an artificial intelligence system that makes phone calls to people over 75 who live alone to detect situations of unwanted loneliness. It conducts short conversations with a natural sounding voice, identifies risk…

…not sufficient to identify those who may be at risk. To address this challenge, the Madrid City Council launched a pilot initiative using artificial intelligence to proactively contact this population group and better understand their situat…

…up and better understand their situation through brief telephone conversations. PALOMA uses natural language processing technology capable of maintaining conversations with a natural sounding synthetic voice and administering a short questionnaire designed by social services professionals. The AI analyzes responses to detect signs of loneliness, classify risk levels,…

…risk levels, and offer follow up calls or information about municipal services. Cases flagged as relevant are always reviewed by professional staff, ensuring safe, ethical, and tailored intervention. This combination of AI and…

…nters, significantly increasing the reach and effectiveness of social policies. PALOMA carried out 5,163 calls, completed 2,071 conversations, and enabled 646 people to request municipal follow up. Of these, 602 were referred to social programs and 236 accepted a home visit; 84% showed signs of loneliness. The system identified 44 clear high risk cases…

…not sufficient to identify those who may be at risk. To address this challenge, the Madrid City Council launched a pilot initiative using artificial intelligence to proactively contact this population group and…

…I Tags Innovation AI Governance & Policy AI-enabling Ecosystem AI in Government About the policy initiative Spain Category: AI policy initiatives, programmes and projects Initiative type: AI use cases/p…

…ype: AI use cases/projects in the public sector Status: Active Start Year: 2025 Target Sectors: Social & welfare issues Innovation Health Inclusive development Public sector OECD AI Principles: 1.1 Inclusive growth, sustainable development and well-bein…

…cción Temprana de la Soledad No Deseada en Personas Mayores Initiative overview Unwanted loneliness affects older adults over 75 who live alone in Madrid and can lead to isolation, declining health, and loss of autonomy. Early detection is difficult, as many do not seek help and traditional channels…

…ne in Madrid and can lead to isolation, declining health, and loss of autonomy. Early detection is difficult, as many do not seek help and traditional channels—postal mail or in person visits—are not sufficient to identify those who may be at risk. To address this challenge, the Madrid City Council launched a pilot initiative…

…up and better understand their situation through brief telephone conversations. PALOMA uses natural language processing technology capable of maintaining conversations with a natural sounding synthetic voice and administering a short questionnaire designed by social services professionals. The AI analyzes responses to detect signs of loneliness, classify risk levels,…

…administering a short questionnaire designed by social services professionals. The AI analyzes responses to detect signs of loneliness, classify risk levels, and offer follow up calls or information about municipal services. Cases flagged as relevant are always reviewed by professional staff, ensuring s…

…risk levels, and offer follow up calls or information about municipal services. Cases flagged as relevant are always reviewed by professional staff, ensuring safe, ethical, and tailored intervention. This combination of AI and…

…nters, significantly increasing the reach and effectiveness of social policies. PALOMA carried out 5,163 calls, completed 2,071 conversations, and enabled 646 people to request municipal follow up. Of these, 602 were referred to social programs and 236 accepted a home visit; 84% showed signs of loneliness. The system identified 44 clear high risk cases…

…social programs and 236 accepted a home visit; 84% showed signs of loneliness. The system identified 44 clear high risk cases and reached individuals who would not have contacted the city through other mea…

…other means. AI expanded reach, accelerated detection, and optimized resources. Results were measured through call analysis, conversion rates, referrals, and professional follow up. A key strength of PALOMA is its capacity to scale. Traditional outreach program…

…ne conversations. PALOMA uses natural language processing technology capable of maintaining conversations with a natural sounding synthetic voice and administering a short questionnaire designed by social services professiona…

…ereas AI enabled calling can reach thousands of people quickly and at low cost. The pilot contacted 5,000 people in only two weeks, leading to 646 individuals requesting follow up and enabling targeted support…

…ty’s Strategy for Detecting Unwanted Loneliness. Following the pilot’s success, the City Council is preparing an expanded version to integrate PALOMA into the municipal Strategy for Detecting Unwanted Loneliness. This will consolidate the system as a permanent tool, extend it to other vulne…

…nters, significantly increasing the reach and effectiveness of social policies. PALOMA carried out 5,163 calls, completed 2,071 conversations, and enabled 646 people to request municipal follow up. Of these, 602 were referred to social programs and 236 accepted a home visit; 8…

…ne conversations. PALOMA uses natural language processing technology capable of maintaining conversations with a natural sounding synthetic voice and administering a short questionnaire designed by social services professiona…