Can AI Catch Criminals at Sea? | Dyhia Belhabib | TED

Summary

The speaker, a scientist and ocean crime investigator, uncovers the hidden world of maritime offenses, from modern-day slavery to drug trafficking, often undetected due to limited visibility of ocean activities. They introduce Hava, an AI tool that uses advanced language processing to identify and track criminal vessels, advocating for a proactive approach to maritime enforcement. The talk highlights the importance of human-technology collaboration in combating these crimes.

Takeaways

• 🌊 The speaker, a scientist, investigates ocean crimes despite being from a landlocked village and unable to swim, highlighting the dedication to the cause.
• 🔍 The investigation of 'The Asian Warrior', a vessel suspected of illegal fishing, reveals the harsh living conditions on ships, indicative of modern-day slavery.
• 🌍 The speaker identifies nearly 50 types of ocean crimes, emphasizing their prevalence and the challenges in monitoring them due to the vastness of the oceans.
• 🤳 The lack of visibility at sea allows for extreme criminal acts to go unnoticed, as illustrated by a selfie video of people being shot at while swimming.
• 💡 Ocean crimes have significant impacts on land, including contributing to issues like real estate inflation through money laundering in places like Vancouver.
• 🚢 There is a vast number of vessels at sea, but visibility into their activities is extremely limited, which criminals exploit for their illicit operations.
• 💰 The speaker discusses the connection between maritime drug trafficking and the drug crisis in the United States, highlighting the scale of the problem.
• 🔒 Current enforcement methods are outdated and ineffective against criminals who are technologically advanced and adept at evading capture.
• 🤖 The introduction of Hava, an AI investigator, represents a shift towards proactive enforcement by identifying and tracking criminal vessels and networks.
• 🔎 Hava's capabilities include analyzing vast amounts of data in multiple languages to uncover criminal activities and patterns, enhancing the fight against maritime crime.
• 👮‍♂️ The speaker stresses the importance of a human approach in complementing technology, ensuring a nuanced understanding of the situations and avoiding bias.

Q & A

What is the speaker's profession and how does it relate to their background?

The speaker is a scientist who investigates ocean crime and its behavior. Despite being born in a landlocked Algerian village and not being able to swim, they have become an expert in this field.

What was the speaker doing in the port of Dakar in Senegal?

The speaker was in Dakar to investigate a Spanish-owned vessel named The Asian Warrior, which was suspected of illegal fishing and had been on Interpol's radar.

What conditions did the speaker observe on the first ship they encountered in Dakar?

The speaker observed crewmen eating only rice, sleeping in a chamber with cardboard instead of mattresses, no blankets, and a low ceiling. There was rust and dead fish piled up in gray water, indicating poor living conditions.

What is the term used for the crime the speaker observed on the ship?

The crime observed by the speaker is referred to as modern-day slavery or forced labor.

How many types of ocean crimes has the speaker identified?

The speaker has identified nearly 50 different types of ocean crimes.

What is the significance of the selfie video mentioned in the script?

The selfie video is significant because it captured an act of violence at sea that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. It came to light only because the phone was found in a cab in Fiji and handed over to the authorities.

What percentage of the world's vessels are we able to monitor?

We only have visibility into the activity of about two percent of the nearly 4.6 million vessels in the world.

How does maritime drug trafficking contribute to the real estate market in Vancouver?

Maritime drug trafficking contributes to the real estate market in Vancouver by inflating property prices through money laundering. Gains from drug trafficking are laundered and injected into the real estate market.

What is the name of the artificial intelligence investigator created by the speaker and their business partner?

The artificial intelligence investigator created by the speaker and their business partner is named Hava.

How does Hava help in identifying and combating maritime crime?

Hava uses 650,000 keyword combinations in 23 languages to search for crimes online, identify those involved, their locations, ship routes, identities, and criminal networks, thus helping to bust criminals.

What is the importance of a human approach in complementing technology when dealing with maritime crimes?

A human approach is important to provide the nuanced understanding, knowledge, and networks that technology lacks. It helps to fill gaps, limit misrepresentations and bias, and ensure that the right criminals are targeted.

Outlines

00:00

🕵️‍♂️ Investigating Ocean Crime and Modern-Day Slavery

The speaker, a scientist, shares their unlikely journey into investigating ocean crimes despite being unable to swim and hailing from a landlocked village. They recount an experience in Senegal, where they observed signs of modern-day slavery on a ship suspected of illegal fishing. The speaker highlights the vast array of ocean crimes, from drunk navigation to terrorism, which often go unseen due to the vastness of the ocean and the limited visibility of authorities. They also connect these maritime crimes to broader issues, such as money laundering affecting real estate prices in Vancouver and the drug crisis in the United States, emphasizing the far-reaching impacts of these illicit activities.

05:01

🚀 Transitioning to Proactive Enforcement with AI

The speaker introduces Hava, an AI investigator designed to combat maritime crime. Hava uses a vast array of keyword combinations in multiple languages to identify criminal activities and networks. The development of Hava involved consultation with ethicists, law enforcement, and even criminals to understand their methods. The system aims to transition from reactive to proactive enforcement by creating criminal records for vessels and their operators. The speaker shares success stories of Hava's application, such as preventing illegal fishing licenses in Madagascar and uncovering illegal activities of Spanish companies in Senegal. They stress the importance of understanding criminal networks and the need for technology to be complemented by human understanding and intervention.

10:05

🤝 Human and Technology Synergy in Crime Prevention

The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of combining human creativity with technological progress to effectively detect and prevent crime. They acknowledge the limitations of technology and the need for human insight to fill gaps and avoid misrepresentations and bias. The speaker also touches on the human aspect of maritime crime, noting that those involved in illegal activities may be victims of human trafficking or forced labor, thus requiring a nuanced approach. They call for a collaborative effort between technology and human understanding to protect oceans, youth, and communities.

Keywords

💡Ocean Crime

Ocean crime refers to a range of illicit activities that occur at sea, such as illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. In the video, the speaker investigates ocean crime, highlighting the prevalence and impact of these activities on global issues, including modern-day slavery and drug crises. The term is central to the theme of the video, which is about the unseen and underreported criminal activities in the ocean.

💡Modern-Day Slavery

Modern-day slavery is a term used to describe situations where individuals are forced to work against their will, often under harsh and inhumane conditions. The video describes an instance of this on a ship where crewmen were found living in poor conditions, eating only rice, and sleeping on cardboard, which the speaker identifies as indicators of forced labor. This concept is crucial to understanding the human rights abuses linked to ocean crime.

💡Illicit Drugs

Illicit drugs are substances that are prohibited by law and are trafficked or used illegally. The script discusses the role of maritime drug trafficking in contributing to the drug crisis in the United States, where drug overdose is a leading cause of youth death. The speaker emphasizes the scale of this issue, with billions of dollars spent on illicit drugs and the impact on society and health.

💡Money Laundering

Money laundering is the process of making illegally-gained proceeds appear legal. In the video, the speaker explains how money from maritime drug trafficking is laundered into the real estate market in Vancouver, inflating property prices. This keyword is key to understanding the economic implications of ocean crime and its ripple effects on local economies.

💡Human Trafficking

Human trafficking involves the illegal trade of people for exploitation or forced labor. The script mentions that when apprehending crew members from illegal fishing vessels, it's important to consider that they might be victims of human trafficking. This concept is vital for understanding the complexities of ocean crime and the need for a nuanced approach to enforcement.

💡Artificial Intelligence Investigator

An artificial intelligence investigator, as mentioned in the script, is a system designed to analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and anomalies that may indicate criminal activity. The speaker introduces 'Hava,' an AI system they created to combat ocean crime by analyzing keywords and language to uncover criminal networks. This technology is central to the video's message about the potential of AI in proactive law enforcement.

💡Criminal Record for Vessels

The concept of a 'criminal record for vessels' suggests maintaining a database of ships' histories, including any illegal activities they've been involved in. The speaker advocates for the creation of such records to aid in strategic enforcement against repeat offenders in ocean crime. This idea is integral to the video's discussion on transitioning from reactive to proactive enforcement strategies.

💡Autonomous Submarines

Autonomous submarines are underwater vehicles capable of operating without human input once programmed. In the script, the speaker mentions that the Spanish mafia uses these to support drug trafficking operations. This keyword highlights the advanced technological methods criminals employ, emphasizing the need for equally sophisticated countermeasures.

💡Sat Phones

Satellite phones, or sat phones, are mobile devices that communicate via orbiting satellites rather than terrestrial cell towers. The video describes how fuel smugglers in the Indian Ocean use sat phones to communicate, illustrating the use of technology by criminals to evade detection and maintain operational secrecy.

💡Human Approach

The 'human approach' in the context of the video refers to the necessity of human judgment and empathy in complementing technological solutions. The speaker stresses that while technology can identify potential criminal activity, human insight is required to understand the context and to ensure that enforcement is fair and effective. This concept is key to the video's argument about the balance between technology and human involvement in crime detection and prevention.

💡Technology and Human Creativity

The video emphasizes the synergy between technology and human creativity as essential for effectively detecting and preventing crime. The speaker argues that while technology can process data and identify patterns, it is human creativity that provides the insight and understanding necessary for meaningful action against criminal activities. This keyword encapsulates the video's overarching message about the combined power of technological tools and human ingenuity.

Highlights

The speaker, a scientist, investigates ocean crimes despite being unable to swim and coming from a landlocked village.

The Asian Warrior, a Spanish-owned vessel, was under investigation for illegal fishing and had previously escaped Thai custody.

Crewmen on ships were found living in poor conditions, indicative of modern-day slavery or forced labor.

There are nearly 50 different types of ocean crimes, many of which occur out of sight of authorities.

A shocking video of people being shot at while swimming in the ocean was only discovered due to a forgotten phone.

Oceans cover two-thirds of the planet's surface, yet visibility into the activity of vessels is limited to about 2%.

Maritime crimes indirectly affect land issues, such as contributing to increased real estate costs through money laundering.

Illicit drug use in the US costs $150 billion annually, with drugs entering the country via various routes, including sea.

Current policing and enforcement methods are outdated and ineffective against criminals using advanced technology.

The Spanish mafia uses autonomous submarines for drug trafficking logistics, illustrating the sophistication of criminal methods.

Hava, an AI investigator, was created to identify and track criminal vessels and their networks using 650,000 keyword combinations.

Hava helps in transitioning from reactive to proactive enforcement by creating criminal records for vessels and their operators.

In 2022, Madagascar used Hava's approach to refuse fishing licenses to Chinese vessels with criminal records.

The vessel Fu Yuan Yu 831 exemplifies the complexity of ownership networks used by criminals to evade justice.

Maritime crimes have tripled in the past decade, showing the failure of one-size-fits-all solutions.

Technology, combined with human involvement and understanding, is essential for effectively tackling maritime crimes.

Human creativity and technological progress must work together to meaningfully detect and stop crime.

Transcripts

I am a scientist, and for a living,

I snitch on, profile and investigate ocean crime and its behavior,

which for someone who A, cannot swim --

I sink like a needle,

(Laughter)

and B, was born in a small landlocked Algerian village,

seems unlikely.

Yet here I was, a few years ago in the port of Dakar in Senegal,

to investigate a Spanish-owned vessel

under the name The Asian Warrior.

The vessel was on Interpol's radar for illegal fishing

and had escaped Thai custody

under the very Spanish name: THAICHAN.

The vessel was docked parallel to three other large ships

that I needed to cross to board it.

But on the first ship, I already noticed three crewmen

sitting on the floor, eating nothing but rice.

Behind them, their sleeping chamber with cardboard in lieu of mattresses,

no blankets, and with a ceiling about as high as a bunch.

I could see lots of rust

and dead fish piled up in gray water everywhere.

I have spent time on ships.

It gets cold at night,

and if you don't have proper sleep,

nutrition and clean water, you will not make it.

What I was seeing there were indicators of a crime

we call modern-day slavery or forced labor.

Over the years,

I've counted nearly 50 different types of ocean crimes like this one,

ranging from drunk driving or navigating

to illegal fishing,

drug trafficking, wildlife smuggling,

terrorism and murder.

And most of these crimes happen out of sight of any authorities.

You can literally take a selfie of yourself

shooting someone in the high seas without any fear.

This is a photo that I took from a video,

a widely circulated video,

that was showing people swimming in the ocean,

being shot at from a boat while trying to escape.

The only reason we know of its existence

is because the owner of the phone who took the selfie

forgot it in a cab in Fiji,

and the cab driver gave it to the authorities.

Oceans cover two thirds of the planet's surface.

There are nearly 4.6 million vessels out there, and of that,

we only have visibility into the activity of about two percent.

This lack of visibility is exploited by criminals

and provides perfect cover for their illicit operations.

These unseen activities, in turn,

have huge impacts on what happens in our own backyards, on land.

In Vancouver, where I live,

money laundering from maritime drug trafficking

has contributed immensely to increasing the cost of real estate.

How?

It's quite simple.

Here's a recipe.

Gains from drug trafficking have to be laundered somehow

to be injected into legit markets.

And one of the best ways of doing that is buying real estate

and inflating the price.

That's what the Chinese triads have done in the city,

by injecting over four billion dollars into our real estate.

But it's also happening in other places like Missouri and Kansas,

and places known for their luxurious lifestyle, such as Dubai.

And it's not just real estate.

Take the drug crisis in the United States, here in our own backyards here,

where drug overdose is the number one cause of youth death,

beating cancer and gun violence.

In fact, illicit drug users in the United States

spent 150 billion dollars on illicit drugs.

Drugs enter the country by land, by air and by sea.

Over 9.2 million shipping containers filled with narcotics

still reach American coast, beaches and ports

every single year.

From Mexico, yes,

but also from other places in the world far away,

like Myanmar in Southeast Asia and even Afghanistan.

Current efforts like random patrolling

or the opportunistic use of human intelligence

do little to stop the flood of narcotics.

We still use these outdated policing techniques --

no, it's not CSI -- and basic enforcement models,

while criminals are the ones who are actually using CSI.

They are adept in using technology to always be ahead.

The Spanish mafia uses autonomous submarines

to provide logistical support to drug traffickers.

Embargo-violating fuel smugglers in the Indian Ocean

will use sat phones to communicate their whereabouts to their clients.

Pirates.

It's quite ironic, because when I say I'm a crime fighter,

they say, "Do you chase pirates?"

Actually, pirates use satellite systems to detect vessels,

chase them down and capture them for ransom.

Intercepting drugs on transit before they can even reach our shores

could help curtail the health crisis in the US

and allow me to maybe one day, hopefully,

buy a house in Vancouver.

(Laughter)

And in order to do that,

we need to transition from reactive to proactive enforcement.

For example, we can create a criminal record for vessels,

their owners, their operators.

Yes, we still don't have that.

And strategize enforcement based on that intel.

So my business partner Sogol and I, created Hava,

a powerful artificial intelligence investigator

that uses 650,000 keyword combinations

in the 23 most spoken languages in the world

to do one single thing:

bust these criminals.

(Applause)

The program first looks for crimes online in all available databases,

ranging from simple press releases by coast guards to Interpol notices,

figures out who's involved,

identifies their location, ship routes, identities

and criminal networks.

To build the system or the tech,

we spoke to ethicists to reduce bias.

We consulted with law enforcement to understand the gaps.

We even, I was going to say partnered,

we spoke to criminals to --

(Laughter)

Learn how they can get away with crime.

If I wanted to be a criminal, I would be a really great one now.

(Laughter)

The whole idea is to adopt a vessel of concern approach.

It means we see it when a dangerous,

potentially criminal vessel is entering our waters,

or when a shady company wants to do business with us.

Right now we can see some of these ships,

what they're doing, where they're going.

But we don't know what's happening on these ships

or what they may be up to,

much like profiling a known person of interest --

now that's CSI --

or knowing when a dangerous,

potentially and repeat sex offender is back in town.

Hava gives us the ability to see, on a map, high-risk ships,

even when they look innocent on the surface.

Using this approach in 2022,

Madagascar refused fishing licenses to Chinese vessels with a criminal record.

A number of Spanish companies are now in murky waters,

no pun intended,

after their illegal fishing activities and labor offenses

were uncovered earlier this year in Senegal.

Hava also gives us information on networks

or criminal networks who did not have before.

And boy, we need them.

Take the vessel Fu Yuan Yu 831,

which was caught in Indonesia on multiple charges

and was flying multiple flags.

The owner of the vessel, who was a Chinese elected congressman,

did his best to cover his involvement

by creating a very complicated ownership network for the vessel.

The Fu Yuan Yu 831, which came all the way from China,

was apparently owned by a shell company based in Timor-Leste,

which in turn was partly owned by a Chinese state-owned company.

And that's when that congressman comes into play.

Convoluted, right?

But it's very common to use complicated networks to get away with crimes.

We have been navigating solutions to maritime crimes for decades now,

and they tend to be one-size-fits-all.

Stop eating fish to save the ocean.

Send more boats at sea to stop the flow of migrations.

Close down the borders and build walls to reduce drug trafficking.

Yeah, they won't work.

In fact,

maritime crimes such as illegal fishing and drug trafficking

have tripled in the past 10 years.

Over the 15 years that I've been doing this work

with agencies, fishermen, criminals and many others,

technology helps to tackle crime to save time, save money,

but also share knowledge and build bridges

to achieve the common goal of protecting our oceans,

our youth and our backyards.

But it only ever worked when people were fully involved in the process.

Technology is powerful,

but it lacks the nuanced understanding,

knowledge and networks stored in our individual human minds.

In the case of the investigation on the Spanish companies

operating in Senegal,

technology showed us where the vessels were,

at what speed they were operating,

their identities.

But we still needed to talk to fishermen

to understand the unspoken political context

in order for us to make sense of that.

Technology needs us to fill the gaps and to limit misrepresentations and bias.

In Thailand, interviews revealed that 25 percent,

that's a quarter,

of all fishing laborers were worked between 17 to 24 hours a day, nonstop.

So when we catch an illegal fishing vessel or when we see it,

and we are about to criminalize the crew and arrest them,

we always need to remember

that they may be in a situation of human trafficking

or forced labor.

We always need a human approach

to complement the technology to target the right criminals.

Because what we see does not tell the whole story.

To meaningfully detect crime and stop it,

human creativity and technological progress

have to always go hand in hand.

Thank you.

(Applause)