In a scenario straight out of science fiction, Chinese researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-powered system capable of identifying crimes and prosecuting the bad guys.
The South China Morning Post has reported that "AI Prosecutor", which was developed and tested by the Shanghai Pudong People's Procuratorate - China's biggest district prosecution office - can submit a charge based solely on verbal description.
The machine was created by a team led by Professor Shi Yong, the director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' center for big data and tech management.
According to reports, the new technology may be utilized on a desktop computer to analyze billions of data contained in its system.
The scientists based the computer on an existing AI tool called System 206. Prosecutors in China were already utilizing the technology to assist in evaluating evidence and evaluating if a suspected criminal posed a threat to the general public.
Between 2015 and 2020, a team of scientists "trained" the AI on more than 17,000 cases. The software can now charge a suspect based on 1,000 "traits" extracted from a case description written by a human.
However, System 206 has its own set of limitations: without human interaction, it will be unable to make sentencing choices or submit charges.
System 26 has the ability to identify and prosecute offenders involved in credit card fraud, reckless driving, illegal gambling, foreign assault, fraud, theft , and even political dissent.
Nevertheless, some prosecutors are skeptical of the new technology. They asserted that the AI Prosecutor could make an error in complex cases.
Furthermore, because it has been trained in prior circumstances, it would be unreliable in new scenarios with constantly changing social dynamics.
Advocates of Artificial Intelligence, on the other hand, claim that the software actually eliminates unnecessary human error.
As a result of its debut in Shanghai in January 2019, System 206 has earned praises for helping judges make impartial decisions.
Upgrades, the developers said, will only make the machine think more accurately. So far, the program has helped prosecutors at the district office minimize their burden, allowing them to focus on more difficult responsibilities.
For the time being, AI Prosecutor is still in its early stages and has not been widely implemented. However, if recent trends are any indicator, computers will be doing more of the dirty work of law enforcers in the future.
It's unknown how many Chinese authorities are using the program right now.
