Responsible AI in law enforcement
Experts in law, philosophy and computer science took part in the “Workshop on Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Law Enforcement” jointly organized by UNICRI’s Centre for AI and Robotics and the Institute for Ethics in AI of the University of Oxford (UK). The workshop consisted of a series of round-table discussions where participants debated different topics related to the challenges and opportunities of AI in law enforcement.
During the first day of the workshop, participants were introduced to and focused their discussion on how to promote and foster responsible AI in law enforcement and, in particular, the debate centered around the Toolkit for Responsible AI Innovation in Law Enforcement. The Toolkit is a joint endeavour by INTERPOL and UNICRI, funded by the European Union. Its purpose is to fill gaps in terms of guidance and support for law enforcement agencies on the development, procurement and deployment of AI while respecting broadly accepted ethics and human rights principles. The valuable insights shared by the participants during the workshops will contribute to informing many aspects of the future Toolkit development.
On the second day of the workshop, discussions took a deep dive into a specific domain in which law enforcement can leverage AI namely, to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Participants were introduced to the AI for Safer Children initiative which was launched by UNICRI in cooperation with the United Arab Emirates to support global law enforcement in combatting online child sexual exploitation and abuse through the power of AI and other new technological solutions. Participants provided their inputs on measures related to ensuring that the AI for Safer Children initiative fosters responsible development and use of AI by both technology providers and law enforcement stakeholders.
Underscoring the importance of ensuring a responsible use of AI by law enforcement, Mr. Irakli Beridze, Head of UNICRI’s Centre for AI and Robotics, said that workshops such as the one organized with the Institute for Ethics are essential part of the process. “We need to continue to engage with stakeholders from different sectors, including academia, if we want to properly address the complex and multifaceted challenges and opportunities posed by AI. We are grateful for the opportunity to draw on the wealth of knowledge of those from an institution as esteemed as the University of Oxford.”
