Dubai Police Says AI Speeds Up 16,000 Digital Evidence Exams and Flags Flaws in AI Apps

Colonel Dr Ahmed Jassim Al Marzouqi, director of the Electronic Evidence Department at Dubai Police's General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, set out the figures in an interview with the Dubai daily Al Bayan. The requests covered smartphones, computers, audio and video material, software, networks and communications equipment. He said the number of requests is not the same as the number of cases, because a single case can require several devices to be examined. Requests come from Dubai police stations, the Public Prosecution and the courts, as well as from judicial and security bodies in other emirates.

The warning about AI applications is the most significant part of his account. Al Marzouqi said his department had prepared a report, backed by evidence and technical observations, on vulnerabilities in AI applications and had raised it with the relevant authorities. According to Al Bayan, the report recommends fixing the gaps and improving communication channels with the competent authorities in different countries to reduce the risks of using these applications. He did not name the applications or describe the vulnerabilities.

How AI Is Used in the Lab

Al Marzouqi said AI tools have changed how examiners work, because they can sift and classify very large amounts of data and pull out what is relevant to an investigation instead of relying on slow manual review. He gave the example of browsing histories: a single computer can hold thousands of visited links, and AI tools sort them by type, such as e-commerce sites, so an expert can reach the relevant material faster. The department also uses tools that let examiners search tens of thousands of images or documents for specific categories without opening each file.

He said the time saved varies too much from case to case to put a fixed figure on it, depending on the type of case and the volume of data and devices involved. The department has six sections, including one for audio and one for images and video, with four more covering phones, computers, networks, communications equipment, software and databases.

Storage, Encryption and Deepfakes

Al Marzouqi listed three main challenges. The first is the sharp rise in storage capacity on modern phones and computers, which adds to the work of extracting and analysing evidence. The second is stronger encryption, which device makers are adopting as they compete on privacy, making it harder to get at digital evidence. The third is the easy availability of AI tools that can produce realistic images, videos and voice recordings, which forces forensic labs to develop better ways of checking whether content is authentic. He said Dubai Police has given the department specialist equipment for detecting manipulated material and runs a separate track for examining crimes that involve AI.

He also said 90% of hacking incidents are linked to people making large amounts of personal information available through their online accounts. He warned against using free public Wi-Fi for financial transactions, posting photos of homes and their contents on social media, and responding to offers priced far below market value. He cited a case in which a person was defrauded and blackmailed after answering an advertisement for an animal worth more than Dh20,000 that the fraudster offered for Dh5,000.

The interview did not say whether the AI application report has led to any action by regulators or by the companies behind the apps.