Opinion | It makes sense to use AI to fight crime
- As long as there are sufficient safeguards to strike a balance between effective law enforcement and the protection of individual rights, artificial intelligence in criminal detection is an inevitable trend
Using artificial intelligence to combat cybercrime is no longer just a Hollywood film plot. The technology has been used by the Hong Kong customs authorities to crack down on online sales of fake goods for almost two years and may be extended to monitor the trafficking of drugs and cigarettes.
Given the extensive use of the internet nowadays, the application of artificial intelligence in criminal investigations makes sense.
With nearly one-third of the 103 fake goods cases in the first half of this year detected by a supercomputer, compared with just 12 per cent of 93 cases in the same period in 2018, effectiveness is beyond question.
By siphoning suspicious posts from a sea of messages on popular online platforms, the system enables the Customs and Excise Department to clamp down on the sale of counterfeit goods effectively.
Indeed, the use of AI for crime prevention and investigation is no longer a novelty in many places. It is not uncommon for large corporations to make use of technology to detect cyberattacks and other irregularities. On the mainland, facial recognition technology has become a tool effectively used to track down fugitives.