On a March afternoon, artificial intelligence detected something resembling smoke on a camera feed from Arizona’s Coconino National Forest. …One of dozens of AI cameras installed for the utility Arizona Public Service had spotted early signs of what came to be known as the Diamond Fire. Firefighters raced to the scene and contained the blaze before it grew past 7 acres. …Arizona Public Service has nearly 40 active AI smoke-detection cameras and plans to have 71 by summer’s end, and the state’s fire agency has deployed seven of its own. Another utility, Xcel Energy in Colorado, has installed 126 and aims to have cameras in seven of the eight states it serves by year’s end. “Earlier detection means we can launch aircraft and personnel to it and keep those fires as small as we can,” said Arizona’s John Truett. …“The AI that’s being run on the cameras is actually beating 911 calls,” he said.