AI Helps Identify A Suspected Murderer

The use and growth of AI (artificial intelligence) in the world is currently one of the hottest topics of debate. While some believe it will bring a safer and more efficient world, others worry that it will eventually lead us into an Orwellian society or worse, that the robots may one day despite to wipe us out.

In a somewhat morbid report via TheNextWeb, however, one man in China has actually been arrested for murder based on the fine work of an AI within a money lending machine.

AI Leads To Suspected Murderers Arrest!

So, what happened, well before we proceed further we should note that this isn’t an entirely pleasant story. You have been warned!

A man in China was reportedly having an argument with his girlfriend over finances and is alleged to have murdered her. It then transpired, however, that he took her body (somehow) to an automated money lending machine. This, in order to attempt to take out a loan in her name.

The machine which uses both AI and facial scanning technology initially proceeded with the loan application until it hit a snag. As part of the authentication processes, the applicant had to wink. As you can imagine, being dead, she wasn’t exactly compliant in this step. This was, incidentally, a 2nd stage verification as the AI already had concerns over the seemingly female applicant’s voice actually sounding like a man.

As such, the AI flagged this to staff members as a potentially fraudulent claim. CCTV footage was reviewed, police were called and it eventually led to the arrest of the man in question.

What Do We Think?

Some may question the sensibility of an AI system that is capable of providing loans. I must admit, I wasn’t aware technology like this actually existed. It seems, however, that the AI system worked perfectly in detecting the fraud attempt. Albeit, in overall rather and, what we hope, a very unique situation.

This does, therefore, open the doors to a lot of questioning.

What do you think? Are you for or against AI technology? Does this instance prove that it’s good or bad? – Let us know in the comments!