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Tech, Law & Security Program

Technology and the Future of Law Enforcement

Technological innovation has significantly expanded the operational capacities of modern law enforcement. Tools such as real-time data analytics, geolocation, advanced surveillance systems and data collection and aggregation can enhance investigative efficiency, support rapid response efforts, assist in locating missing children and people, identify cyber intrusions, and attribute the activity to specific actors or nation-states. At the same time, the accelerating development and deployment of artificial intelligence and data-driven tools and systems also raise complex questions concerning privacy, civil rights, and the appropriate scope of state power. TLS will examine how AI is transforming and reshaping the policing and public safety landscape and explore the legal implications of emerging technologies such as predictive analytics, facial recognition, autonomous surveillance, and algorithmic decision-making tools. TLS will assess their impact on constitutional and civil liberties protections, transparency, accountability and the evolving regulatory frameworks governing AI-enabled investigative practices.