The Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has issued a formal apology to a parliamentary committee after admitting he gave them incorrect evidence, which he says was generated by an artificial intelligence tool.
AI Blamed for Fictitious Match Intelligence
Craig Guildford told the Home Affairs Select Committee on Monday that the inclusion of a non-existent match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham in police intelligence "arose as a result of a use of Microsoft Copilot". This marked a significant reversal from his previous statement to MPs, where he claimed the force did not use AI and that the mistake was made by a single officer conducting a Google search.
In an email to the committee published on Wednesday, Guildford offered his "profound apology" for the error. He stated: "I had understood and been advised that the match had been identified by way of a Google search in preparation for attending HAC. My belief that this was the case was honestly held and there was no intention to mislead the committee."
Background to the Controversial Ban
The false intelligence regarding the fabricated West Ham match was presented to a council-led security advisory group. This group subsequently made the decision to ban away fans from the Maccabi Tel Aviv football team from attending a Europa League match against Aston Villa in November last year.
The revelation comes as the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, prepares to address MPs regarding the findings of a report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary. This report specifically investigates the decision-making process that led to the ban on the Israeli club's supporters.
Accountability and Technological Reliance
This incident highlights growing concerns about the use of AI and automated tools within critical public sector decision-making, particularly in areas of policing and public safety. The error had tangible consequences, directly influencing a decision that affected football fans and the clubs involved.
The case raises important questions about verification protocols and accountability when artificial intelligence is utilised to gather or generate intelligence for operational purposes. West Midlands Police now faces scrutiny over its internal processes for fact-checking and validating information before it is presented to official bodies and used to justify significant public order measures.
