Argentina’s Department of Safety has established an Artificial Intelligence Division to anticipate and deter criminal activity. This revolutionary development in criminal justice technology has sparked a heated conversation on the fine line between improving public security and preserving individual privacy. A public statement released on July 26 reveals that Safety Minister Patricia Bullrich made the official declaration launching the AI division. Its primary mission involves the ‘deterrence, recognition, inquiry, and legal action towards crime.’
The newly implemented system is expected to utilize advanced machine learning methods for scrutinizing compiled crime data, aiming for a substantial lead in forecasting and eliminating forthcoming unlawful behaviors. The project extends to drone-based surveillance, monitoring of social media platforms, and facial recognition software application, as part of the strengthened security measures. Minister Bullrich contended that this AI operation would ‘substantially boost the effectiveness of the diverse departments within the ministry and the national police and security forces, enabling quicker and more accurate responses to dangers and emergencies.’
A recently published safety report pointed out Rosario, Mar del Plata, Villa Gesell, La Plata, and Córdoba as the major urban areas troubled by violence and criminal activities within Argentina. Specifically, Rosario experienced a dramatic 259 instances of aggressive fatalities last year, boasting a shocking murder rate—22 per 100,000 inhabitants—that is quintuple the national average. As the government is addressing the prospective advantages of integrating AI in policing, non-governmental organizations advocating for civil liberties have highlighted the potential risks concerning violations of these rights.
The organization known as the Argentine Center for Freedom of Expression and Information Access Studies voiced apprehension that such innovative technologies might be manipulated for profiling academic individuals, journalism practitioners, political personnel, and activists. In response, they urged the government to illuminate the origins of these technologies and provide concrete details about their unique applications. The center underscored the need for stringent accountability protocols, arguing that a deficit of responsibility regarding the AI systems’ use could cause significant concerns. They gave an example of possible public self-censorship triggered by the dread of governmental access to personal social media activity.
Argentina’s Department of Safety offered recognition to several nations that informed their AI initiative, including the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Israel, France, Singapore, and India. These countries have led the global charge in harmonizing AI with state and security functions. AI’s rise has seen the deployment of automatized safety measures designed to enhance threat detection and slashing response times, thereby minimizing the load for security staff.
Even with apprehensions, some experts highlight the prospective advantages of integrating AI in law enforcement. For instance, a 2022 research study conducted by the University of Chicago proposed the creation of an algorithm capable of predicting crime locations with 90% accuracy one week ahead. Nonetheless, the research also shed light on established biases, indicating that criminal activities in more affluent areas often lead to increased arrests as opposed to those in socio-economically challenged areas.
In the Argentine context, the system known as Prometea, developed by Buenos Aires’ Public Prosecutor’s Office, has been lauded as a model case of successful AI application. The Prometea system boasts an impressive ability to anticipate the outcomes of judicial cases within a mere 20-second timeframe. The system achieves this with a remarkable 96% success rate, and it has proved instrumental in speeding up the drafting of legal rulings.