Hong Kong customs’ AI system can check 6,000 digital images in seconds for crime-fighting boost
- Customs says initial research on AI search engine shows it has 80 per cent accuracy
The Customs and Excise Department on Monday said initial research on its AI search engine showed it had 80 per cent accuracy, saving officers time for following up on investigations.
“When we adopt the AI system, we can process a case in a matter of seconds after entering several relevant commands for a particular search,” said Senior Inspector Wong Wai-kei of the department’s computer forensic laboratory.
“In our past practice, if a closed-circuit television clip was one-hour long, our colleagues would have to sit in front of a monitor for an hour just to watch it.”
It was not immediately clear when customs would incorporate the AI system into its daily operations. But Chiu Kat Wu-lan, acting assistant staff officer in the department, said customs was “proactively exploring the use of new technologies” to enhance its capabilities in handling digital evidence and helping it combat tech crimes.
The laboratory was established in 2000 to collect, preserve and analyse digital evidence, as well as present findings in court.
