A.I. Used to Catch People Who Lie to the Police
British scientists have developed a new computer programme that can spot if someone has lied to police about being robbed.
The groundbreaking software analyses the wording of a victim’s statement in order to identify tell-tale signs of fake reports.
Spanish police, who have been using the tool, found it was successful in more than 80 per cent of cases helping them to identify 64 false reports in just one week.
Developed by experts at Cardiff University, VeriPol uses a combination of automatic text analysis and artificial intelligence to recognise when somebody has been lying or exaggerating to the police.
Thousands of false reports are submitted to the police each year, with many perpetrators hoping to receive inflated insurance payouts or claims for crimes that never happened in the first place.
But according to the researchers, there are certain tell-tale signs contained in written statements which can be quickly identified by the new software.
Using algorithms, the machine is able to carefully analyse various features in the text, such as adjectives, acronyms, verbs, nouns, punctuation marks and numbers.
Experts claim a false statement is more likely to contain certain traits and giveaway signs that can be spotted using artificial intelligence.
It is thought false statements are more likely to be shorter than genuine ones and focus on the details of the stolen property rather than the incident itself.
Vocabulary
spot – to notice, see, or recognize something or someone that might be difficult to find, “It was easy to spot my friend in the crowd because he was wearing a bright yellow hat.”
groundbreaking – making completely new discoveries or using innovative, highly original methods, “The company created a groundbreaking new app that translates languages instantly.”
analyses – (British spelling) examines something in close and careful detail to understand it better, “The scientist analyses the water samples in the lab every morning.”
tell-tale – revealing or giving a very clear sign of a hidden truth, secret, or situation, “A red nose and watery eyes are tell-tale signs of a bad cold.”
exaggerating – making something seem larger, better, worse, or more important than it really is, “He was exaggerating when he said he walked twenty miles in the snow.”
perpetrators – the people who plan or commit a crime, fraud, or illegal act, “The police are still searching for the perpetrators of the museum robbery.”
inflated – higher, larger, or greater than what is true, normal, or reasonable, “The shady mechanic gave us an inflated price for a very simple car repair.”
payouts – large amounts of money paid to someone, typically from an insurance claim, investment, or prize, “The insurance company made quick payouts to the victims of the storm.”
in the first place – (idiom) at the very beginning, or referring to the original reason for a situation, “If you didn’t want to go to the party, you shouldn’t have accepted the invite in the first place.”
algorithms – sets of mathematical rules or step-by-step instructions that a computer follows to solve problems or perform tasks, “Streaming websites use smart algorithms to recommend movies based on what you watch.”
acronyms – abbreviations formed from the first letters of a group of words and pronounced as a single word (like NASA or UNESCO), “The textbook includes a helpful list of medical acronyms at the back.”
punctuation marks – the symbols used in writing (such as commas, periods, and question marks) to separate sentences and make meaning clear, “Don’t forget to use correct punctuation marks in your English essays.”
traits – specific qualities, features, or characteristics that belong to a person, character, or thing, “Honesty and loyalty are two very important traits in a good friend.”
giveaway signs – obvious clues or signals that accidentally reveal a hidden fact, secret, or emotion, “He tried to look calm, but his shaking hands were giveaway signs of his nervousness.”
genuine – real, true, honest, and exactly what it appears or claims to be, “The museum confirmed that the old gold coin was completely genuine.”
incident – an event, happening, or occurrence, especially one that is unusual, unpleasant, or serious, “The police arrived quickly to find out what caused the incident on the highway.”