AI experts call to block publication of study on neural network that claims to 'predict' criminality

A group of more than 1,000 researchers and academics are calling on Springer to reconsider the publication of an upcoming study on neural networks that claims to'predict' criminality. In an open letter published this week, the group, which consists of experts in the field of statistics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, law, sociology, history, communication studies and anthropology, caution Springer, the publisher of Nature, over the publication of the study in an upcoming book series. Skeptics in the field of AI and machine-learning are calling on Springer to rescind its offer to publish a study on a'predictive policing' algorithm The study itself claims that an automated facial recognition software can be used as a'predictive policing' tool for law enforcement that can identify criminals before they commit crimes. 'We already know machine learning techniques can outperform humans on a variety of tasks related to facial recognition and emotion detection,' said co-author of the study and Harrisberg University Professor Roozbeh Sadeghian in a statement. 'This research indicates just how powerful these tools are by showing they can extract minute features in an image that are highly predictive of criminality.'