Five EU Justice and Home Affairs Agencies collaborated together with CENTRIC researchers to create the world-first ‘AI accountability framework’ to guide the deployment of AI tools by security practitioners. 

 

The project Accountability Principles for Artificial Intelligence (AP4AI) is jointly conducted by Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC) and the Europol Innovation Lab, and supported by Eurojust, the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA) and the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) with advice and contributions by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), in the framework of the EU Innovation Hub for Internal Security.

 

The ambition of the AP4AI project is to create a practical toolkit that directly and meaningfully supports AI Accountability when implemented in the internal security domain. 

Starting in 2021, the project partners developed AI accountability principles in consultation with experts in 28 countries, representing law enforcement officials, lawyers and prosecutors, data protection and fundamental rights experts as well as technical and industry experts. 

 

Within the AP4AI project, more than 5500 citizens across 30 countries were consulted to investigate public expectations of AI accountability. Results show that, while concerns do exist about the AI use by police forces, citizens also see great potential in AI use for internal security objectives with more than 87% who agree or strongly agree that AI should be used for the protection of children and vulnerable groups and to detect criminals and criminal organisations. Over 90% of the citizens consulted expect police to be held accountable for the way they use AI and its consequences.

 

The next step is for the AI Accountability framework to be translated into a toolkit to help practitioners to concretely implement the Accountability Principles for different applications of AI within the internal security domain. 

 

The toolkit will be freely available and will contribute to ensuring the deployment of AI tools for internal security in an accountable and transparent manner, in line with EU values and fundamental rights. 

 

The adoption of these principles will allow police and security forces to capitalise on the use of AI in combatting serious crime, whilst providing balance and accountability for supervisors, regulators and society.

 

Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol:

I am confident that the AP4AI Project will offer invaluable practical support to law enforcement, criminal justice and other security practitioners seeking to develop innovative AI solutions, while respecting fundamental rights and being fully accountable to citizens. This report is an important step in this direction, providing a valuable contribution in a rapidly evolving field of research, legislation and policy.

 

Professor Babak Akhgar, Director of CENTRIC:

The AP4AI project will draw upon a huge range of expertise and research to develop world-first accountability principles for AI. Police and security agencies across the globe will be able to adopt a robust AI Accountability Framework, so that they can maintain a balanced, proportionate and accountable approach.