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An EU lawmaker has raised concerns about “alarming events” linked to the criminal use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, including with online fraud.
A Romanian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) has called on the European Commission to take urgent steps to address the growing use of AI by organised crime networks across the EU.
Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, an MEP from the centre-right European People’s Party (PPE), submitted a formal question to the Commission warning that AI’s accessibility and power are transforming the criminal underworld.
This sort of use would sit outside the scope of the EU’s regime to manage AI use, the AI Act.
In his question, Motreanu asks what measures the Commission plans to propose to boost the EU’s ability to detect, prevent and combat organised crime groups’ use of AI and emerging technologies.
His intervention follows a recent Europol report highlighting how AI is enabling criminal groups to automate operations, evade detection and scale up illicit activity at unprecedented speed.
The report from Europol highlights that AI, along with technologies like blockchain and quantum computing, is able to act as a catalyst, amplifying the speed, scope and complexity of organised crime.
Europol further warns that the emergence of fully autonomous AI systems could give rise to AI-controlled criminal networks in the future.
“Digital infrastructure has become the primary setting for organised crime, facilitating cyberattacks, ransomware, online fraud, drug trafficking, firearms trafficking and serious environmental crimes,” says Motreanu
He went on to point out that Europol has underlined the “urgent need for enhanced access to data in order for law enforcement and the creation of new legal frameworks to address these emerging threats”.
Growing concern over the AI security threat
The MEP’s intervention comes not long after a public hearing in the UK about the impact of AI on financial services.
Although there were positive use cases, the hearing, which was covered by Vixio, also revealed deep unease about some of AI’s possible use cases in the financial sector and society as a whole.
For example, Labour MP Lola McEvoy raised concerns about the impact of generative AI on cybersecurity and, in turn, industry leaders highlighted growing threats and stressed the need for investment in defence systems that reflect the scale of the risk.
Jana Mackintosh of UK Finance noted that although AI introduces new challenges, the financial sector already has strong frameworks in place and is accustomed to the ongoing arms race in cybersecurity.
