Some raise concerns over algorithm accuracy and transparency as the bureau employs AI to prioritize tips.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze tips and identify potential threats. The AI system, part of the FBI’s Threat Intake Processing System (TIPS), has been in use for over a year and is designed to help law enforcement handle large volumes of information, but details about how this system works remain unclear. Known as the “Complaint Lead Value Probability,” the AI tool helps prioritize tips by using algorithmic scores to determine which threats are addressed first.
Much of the information about its functioning capabilities has been redacted from public documents, including data on the accuracy of the algorithms. While FBI officials have previously commented on the use of AI to enhance tip processing, the agency has declined to provide further insights into the tool’s effectiveness or operational details. The bureau asserts that AI assists human assessors in managing and evaluating tips more efficiently despite the potential risks of false positives and negatives.
“We’ve been able to use AI to analyze phone calls to help the individual assessing the tip quickly triage it, making us more efficient and flagging indicators… While we continue to have a human assess every tip, AI can help our teams be better at their jobs and keep Americans safe by prioritizing our workload,” said Executive Assistant Director Jacqueline Maguire of the FBI’s Science and Technology Branch during a Center for Strategic and International Studies event this month.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For discernment for Director Christopher Wray as he oversees the FBI and its use of AI.
- For FBI agents and officials to be prudent in their reviews of AI-detected threats.
Sources: FedScoop, Wall Street Journal
