Aberdeen Academic Receives Funding for Research on Probabilistic AI in Law Enforcement

Aberdeen Academic Receives Funding to Investigate Probabilistic AI in Law Enforcement

An Aberdeen academic is part of a UK-wide research team that has secured funding from Responsible AI UK (RAI UK) to explore the future use of probabilistic AI in law enforcement. The project, titled PROBabLE Futures – Probabilistic AI Systems in Law Enforcement Futures, has received £3.4 million in funding and will run for four years.

Dr. Elizabeth Tiarks, from Aberdeen University, will bring her expertise as a criminal barrister and researcher in AI in criminal justice to the project. She highlighted the importance of considering both the benefits and concerns of using probabilistic AI in law enforcement, including potential issues with decision-making and the cumulative effects of multiple AI systems interacting with each other.

PROBabLE Futures is one of only three RAI UK Keystone projects, which were awarded a total of £12 million to address challenges posed by rapid advances in artificial intelligence. The projects span various sectors, including health and social care, law enforcement, and financial services.

Responsible AI UK is led by the University of Southampton and supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the UKRI Technology Missions Fund and EPSRC. An additional £4 million in funding has been committed by UKRI to further support these initiatives.

Professor Gopal Ramchurn, CEO of RAi UK, emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of the projects, bringing together computer and social scientists, among other specialists. He stressed the importance of addressing the complex socio-technical challenges that arise from the use of AI in the real world and the need for collaboration between AI experts, researchers, and policymakers.

The PROBabLE Futures project aims to contribute valuable insights into the potential applications of probabilistic AI in law enforcement and address the ethical and practical considerations associated with its implementation. As AI continues to advance, initiatives like this will play a crucial role in shaping the responsible and ethical use of AI technologies in society.