6 Minute English / Can AI solve crime?

Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript.

Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Beth.

And I'm Neil. Don't forget that you can find a transcript and a quiz for this episode on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.

Now today, Neil, we're talking all about solving crime. Do you think you'd be a good detective?

Actually, no, Beth. I think my brain's not very good with details! Today, we'll be talking about how artificial intelligence might help detectives and the police investigate crimes. But first, I have a question for you, Beth in the UK, lots of people enjoy watching fictional detectives on TV. These programmes are called murder mysteries and tell the story of a detective solving a crime. In 2020, a magazine called the Radio Times asked readers who their favourite TV detective was. So, who do you think was the most popular? Was it:

a) Sherlock Holmesb) Hercule Poirotc) Miss Marple

Surely it's Sherlock Holmes?

Well, you sound very sure, but I will reveal the answer at the end of the programme. Now, when the police are investigating crimes in the real world, their techniques are often quite different from what we see on television.

Yes. Solving crimes involves collecting and reviewing lots of evidence, like DNA, fingerprints, or CCTV.

All of this work takes a lot of time. So, can AI help police speed up the work and even solve crimes? That's the question listener Alastair had for BBC Radio 4 programme The Artificial Human. And host Aleks Krotoski wanted to know more