Rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics will become both powerful tools for police and powerful weapons for criminals, 48-page handbook report from the pan-European police agency Europol, argues. Earlier this month, the Europol Innovation Lab published ‘The unmanned future: the impact of robotics and unmanned systems on law enforcement’. The document takes the form of a forecast rather than a difficult forecast. It sketches the near future of 2035, when wise machines are everywhere, from homes, hospitals and factories to police stations, shops and schools.
Researchers at The Hague-based organization, which is effectively Europe’s version of the global police agency Interpol, imagine hypothetical scenarios such as widespread resentment of job losses and automation spilling over into social unrest, “bot attacks” and populist riots requiring society to “put people first.” Another outline raises questions such as whether people will eventually consider hitting a robot to be some form of abuse – an argument that has already been made several times regarding robot dogs – if left unresolved, it could cause tensions between the police and society.
“… we must ask ourselves how criminals and terrorists could use drones and robots in a few years.”
On the other hand, Europol’s predictions suggest that the ubiquitous robots of the future will also be perpetrators of crime. Care robots, such as those used in hospitals or in the homes of disabled or elderly people, could be hijacked to spy on families, collect sensitive information, or even manipulate victims or child rearing. The report warns that autonomous vehicles or drones could also be hacked, leading to confidential data being leaked or used as a physical weapon. Drone swarms, likely picked up from war zones such as Ukraine, could be used by terrorists to attack cities, rival gangs to fight for territory with home-made explosives or by other bad actors to monitor police activity and gain an advantage over law enforcement, the report predicts.
The report is increasingly theoretical in nature, suggesting that future robots are likely to create a arduous time for police. “Interrogating” them could be a nightmare, and researchers warn that it will become increasingly arduous to distinguish “between intentional and accidental behavior” when bots behave badly, highlighting the difficulties police already face in accidents involving autonomous cars. Researchers imagine that the police seizing rebellious robots equipped with “robofreezers” and using “nets with built-in grenades” to catch drones will not end the threat. Once inside police facilities, robots can “record, steal, destroy or escape,” researchers say.
While some of these predictions seem far-fetched, Europol doesn’t think their 2035 vision is that far from the truth. Unnamed Europol spokesman he said Telegraph the agency “cannot predict the future” but has tried “to predict likely future scenarios that will allow us to make more informed decisions today.” Europol did not respond Edgerequest for an interview.
“If you have a police officer who barely uses equipment like a drone, you can’t compete with a skilled enemy.”
Scientists say the signs are already here. Drug and other contraband smugglers already exploit drones and autonomous vehicles in their operations – prisons include frequent objective and remember about Narcotics submarine equipped with Starlink? – and there are terrorists showing signs of doing the same. The report also shows that there is a growing market for drone pilots who advertise their skills to criminals on the Internet. The report shows that in order for the police to keep up with criminals in the future, it will be necessary to augment resources for training and education in relevant areas, access to the latest technologies and a transition from 2D to 3D policing (due to drones).
Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol, I’m writing: :
“The integration of unmanned systems into crime is already happening, and we must ask ourselves how criminals and terrorists might use drones and robots in a few years’ time. Just as the Internet and smartphones present significant opportunities, but also challenges, so will this technology. Our new Europol Innovation Lab report examines the future operational environment of European law enforcement agencies and suggests the actions needed today to effectively fight crime, while respecting public trust and fundamental rights in the future.”
Robotics experts Edge those we spoke to were less sure what kind of rapid exploit Europol researchers envisioned, or that the main problem was the technology itself. Martim Brandão, a lecturer in robotics and autonomous systems at King’s College London, says it is certainly plausible to imagine problems such as surveillance and blackmail in relation to hacked care or home robots, given their huge numbers and dependence on the Internet. Similar incidents To have Already occurred. “I’m not as confident about other predictions,” he says, such as terrorist attacks using captured drones or violent human reactions to machine automation, explaining that he is not aware of evidence to support these claims.
Giovanni Luca Masala, a roboticist and computer science lecturer at the University of Kent in England, says “predictions for 2035 are difficult” given the pace of development of fresh technologies. Adoption is not just about technology, he says. It also depends “on the market, costs, mass production capabilities,” all of which could prevent the exploit of robotics envisioned in the Europol report.
That said, Masala says he agrees with the general recommendations of Europol investigators. “One way or another, criminals will use all kinds of new technologies,” he says, adding that society must invest in police equipment and training in artificial intelligence, robotics and cybersecurity. “Because if you have a police officer who barely uses equipment like a drone, you can’t compete with a skilled enemy.”
But despite all the speculation about how police and criminals might exploit robots in the future, Brandão believes that the Europol report misses one of the most vital issues we will face: holding police accountable. “The report talks about the potential for potential criminals to exploit the privacy and security issues of home robots, which I agree with, but it doesn’t talk about the potential for the police themselves to violate privacy and exploit or create security vulnerabilities.” Given “numerous cases of police misconduct and discriminatory surveillance,” it is vital to consider these risks as well, he says. “I am more concerned about police and intelligence agencies exploiting robot vulnerabilities than terrorists, especially given the ongoing authoritarian shifts around the world.”