Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used by police forces around the world, but do the benefits always outweigh the risks?
AI has the potential to transform the way the police investigate and solve crimes. It can identify patterns and links in evidence, and sift through vast amounts of data far more quickly than any human. But we have already seen missteps in the use of the technology by law enforcement.
Some U.S. cities, such as San Francisco and Seattle, have already banned the use of the technology. Yet it is increasingly being used by police forces on both sides of the Atlantic.
Full story: Should AI play an ever-growing role in tackling crime?
Although technology has seen a great advancement in AI that can be of good use to law enforcement, possibly being able to save operators nearly one-third of their time and changing the way in which police investigate and solve crimes. However some disadvantages come with this technology, for example, there have been AI has shown that they have flaws as it has failed to accurately identify black faces. There has also been evidence showing its discrimination against blacks, Latinos, and Asians. This may cause an issue as over the course of history the majority of offenders were seen to be those of minority background, particularly blacks and Latinos. More studies and research need to go into AI before implementing a role for them in law enforcement.