BBC LEARNING ENGLISH
6 Minute English
Can AI solve crime?
This is not a word-for-word transcript.
Beth
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Beth.
Neil
And I'm Neil. Don't forget that you can find a transcript and a quiz for this episode
on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
Beth
Now today, Neil, we're talking all about solving crime. Do you think you'd be a good
detective?
Neil
Actually, no, Beth. I think my brain's not very good with details! Today, we'll be
talking about how artificial intelligence might help detectives and the police
investigate crimes. But first, I have a question for you, Beth – in the UK, lots of
people enjoy watching fictional detectives on TV. These programmes are called
murder mysteries and tell the story of a detective solving a crime. In 2020, a
magazine called the Radio Times asked readers who their favourite TV detective
was. So, who do you think was the most popular? Was it:
a) Sherlock Holmes,
b) Hercule Poirot, or
c) Miss Marple?
Beth
Surely it's Sherlock Holmes?
Neil
Well, you sound very sure, but I will reveal the answer at the end of the
programme. Now, when the police are investigating crimes in the real world, their
techniques are often quite different from what we see on television.
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Beth
Yes. Solving crimes involves collecting and reviewing lots of evidence, like DNA,
fingerprints, or CCTV.
Neil
All of this work takes a lot of time. So, can AI help police speed up the work and
even solve crimes? That's the question listener Alastair had for BBC Radio 4
programme The Artificial Human. And host Aleks Krotoski wanted to know more.
Aleks Krotoski
So, Alastair, why are you asking this question? Tell us a little bit more about
yourself and where you're coming from?
Alastair
So, my name's Alastair and I'm a serving police officer. My background is with
investigation. I'm looking at artificial intelligence and thinking, "What can it do for
me?"
Beth
Alex asks Alastair to explain where he's coming from. This means explain his
perspective or point of view. In informal English, we'll often ask someone, "Do you
get where I'm coming from?" And we're asking whether they understand our
opinion or perspective.
Neil
Alastair explains that he's interested in how artificial intelligence could help solve
crimes, because he's a police officer with a background in investigations. If you
have a background in something, it means most of your previous work or
experience was related to something. For example, I work as a producer at BBC
Learning English now, making programmes, but my background is in classroom
teaching.
Beth
Alastair talks about using artificial intelligence for training and asks, "What can it
do for me?" This means, "How can artificial intelligence help or improve
something?"
Neil
When a crime happens, police officers have to collect and review a lot of
information to find evidence. When you have a lot of information to review, it can
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be difficult to know what's important and find patterns which might be relevant to
the crime.
Beth
But Professor Ruth Morgan, an expert in crime and forensic science, thinks AI
could help speed up police work, as she told BBC Radio 4's The Artificial Human.
Ruth Morgan
I think we're seeing a renaissance in the pattern-recognition forms of evidence, so
finger marks, footwear marks. There's been lots of challenges with those forms of
evidence over the last ten years, probably going a little bit out of favour. And yet
what we're beginning to see now with AI is that you can take a photo of a mark
with your phone, compare that mark to the database and get real-time insight.
Neil
Ruth says that there is a renaissance in looking at patterns in evidence, such as
finger marks or footwear marks. Renaissance means new interest or activity in a
particular topic or area.
Beth
This kind of evidence went a little bit out of favour over recent years because of
the excitement around DNA evidence. If something is out of favour, it is less
popular or appealing.
Neil
But AI could mean that patterns in finger marks or footwear marks are useful in
solving crimes again. This is because AI can be used to compare a picture of a mark
with a database of pictures from other crimes and get real-time insight. The
adjective real-time means the information is presented at the same time that it's
happening.
Beth
Yes. AI can compare lots of information very quickly, which makes finding patterns
in evidence much easier and more reliable.
Neil
There are some problems with using AI to solve crimes though.
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Beth
To find these patterns, lots of private information would need to be collected, and
police usually have to give clear reasons why they need access to certain
information in their investigations.
Neil
It's unlikely an AI-powered robot would ever replace a detective anytime soon!
Beth
Yes, and that reminds me of your question, Neil. I said that Sherlock Holmes was
maybe the most popular detective. Was I right?
Neil
You were absolutely right. And I think people should try the quiz on our website
to find out how much they know as well. It's at bbclearningenglish.com. OK. Let's
recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with the expression where you're
coming from, which means your opinion or perspective on something.
Beth
Your background is the area that you have the most work experience in.
Neil
The question 'what can this do for me?' means 'how can this help or improve
things?'
Beth
Renaissance means new interest or activity in something.
Neil
If something is out of favour, it has become less popular or appealing.
Beth
And the adjective real-time means information is presented as it is happening.
Neil
Once again, our six minutes are up. Head to our website to find more episodes of
6 Minute English at bbclearningenglish.com. Bye for now!
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Beth
Bye!
VOCABULARY
where (someone) is coming from
someone's opinion or perspective
background
the area that someone has most experience in
what can (something) do for me?
how can (something) help or improve things?
renaissance
new interest or activity in a subject
out of favour
less popular or appealing
real-time
information is presented as it is happening
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