A special task force intends to use AI to investigate crimes and protect critical infrastructure.
U.S. law enforcers are to use artificial intelligence to counter cyber threats and investigate and prevent crimes. A first-of-its-kind Artificial Intelligence Task Force has already been created to focus on using new technologies to fight crime, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
According to DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the creation of this group is due to U.S. government concerns about the potential misuse of AI against the country, so the U.S. security service will also adopt the technology to counter it.
As Mayorkas noted, AI is a promising technology, but its potential for misuse is a concern. In addition, he noted that the technology’s impact on humanity has not yet been fully studied, and the potential for mistakes is also a concern.
AI will hunt down drug dealers
The task force intends to use the power of artificial intelligence to investigate and prevent a range of crimes, including improving trade and supply chain security. For example, AI can be used to inspect cargo and detect goods made with slave labor. Artificial intelligence will also help in detecting drug shipments and preventing the flow of ingredients for their production, with the DHS expecting that it will significantly reduce the flow of drugs from the U.S.
Finally, the new technology is going to be used to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. AI will be used to protect power grids and water systems from hackers.
As of today, the prospects of using AI in the fight against crime are extremely promising. For example, according to an IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) report, companies using AI can save more than 14 weeks in identifying and responding to threats, with the cost and complexity of these tasks being reduced in the process.