Comment by Tom Vandenkendelaere

Mr President, AI will shape our future. It will change how we work and live, whether it is in health care, agriculture or, yes, law enforcement. The question isn’t whether we like it or not, the question is how Europe will deal with this change. And one thing is clear: AI is here to stay. Already today, criminals are shifting their operations. Whether it is in organised crime, terrorism, child porn, money laundering or human trafficking, it happens online. For me, law enforcement authorities must be able to use the full potential of AI to fight criminals. It will allow them to fight criminality faster, more efficiently and in a more targeted way. And yes, that includes facial recognition in public spaces – on the condition that all fundamental rights are guaranteed and that there is no room for bias. And, colleagues, don’t get me wrong. This does not mean that we want to give police forces carte blanche to do whatever they want. It’s too easy to argue for moratoria or bans without taking into account the challenges our police officers deal with on the ground. Unverified source (2021)