Australian-developed AI tool under trial in the UK can turn 81 years of cold case work into a mere 30-hour investigation

A new AI tool being tested by UK police may provide the breakthrough detectives need to solve decades-old unsolved cases. The Söze tool, developed in Australia by Akkodis, is currently under trial by Avon and Somerset Police. This tech has the ability to analyze years' worth of data—including video, financial records, and social media—in just hours, saving tons of time for other aspects of detective work.

An evaluation found that Söze reviewed evidence from 27 complex cases in just 30 hours—work that would take decades for humans. Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs' Council, explicitly discussed the potential of AI in cold cases, where the sheer volume of evidence makes investigations nearly impossible.

You might have a cold case review that just looks impossible because of the amount of material there and feed it into a system like this which can just ingest it, then give you an assessment of it. I can see that being really, really helpful.

As per reports, police resources in the UK are already quite strained, with officers moving away from cold case departments. Despite this, the tool is part of broader AI efforts aimed at saving time and resources in investigations across the UK. However, Stephens stresses that Artificial Intelligence will not replace human officers, but will solely assist them in making decisions - way faster and more efficiently than conventional methods.

This AI tool could offer fresh hope for unsolved cases, and there's a strong chance that it could help deliver justice long overdue.