Gardaí and European police forces express alarm over AI threats

AI and radicalisation of young people dominate EU police chiefs summit

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly: 'Strengthened international co-operation, investment in AI capabilities, and robust regulatory frameworks are necessary to ensure responsible deployment.'

Gardaí and fellow European police officers have said the rapid advance of AI technologies is posing a particular threat to EU governments and citizens.

A summit of EU police chiefs in The Hague was told that the dangers posed by AI spanned crime and national security, from online fraud to child sex abuse imagery, and disinformation to radicalisation of young people.

The summit also highlighted the benefits that AI could bring for law enforcement, including faster data analysis, improved forensic investigations, and more sophisticated intelligence gathering.

The European Police Chiefs Convention 2026 was jointly opened by Jurgen Ebner, Europol’s acting executive director, and Garda commissioner Justin Kelly, and gathered more than 500 police chiefs and delegates from 59 countries.

In his opening remarks, Mr Kelly said: “AI presents significant opportunities for law enforcement, enabling faster data analysis, improved forensic investigations, and more efficient intelligence gathering.

“Strengthened international co-operation, investment in AI capabilities, and robust regulatory frameworks are necessary to ensure responsible deployment.” 

In relation to AI, Europol said criminals are using the technology to produce deepfake videos and audio at “unprecedented speed”.  They were also using autonomous AI agents which can do complete tasks given to it without human direction or involvement to carry out crimes.

“AI is being misused to enhance fraud, cybercrime, migrant smuggling, and child exploitation,” it said in a statement.

Europol also said AI presents possible advantages for police: “At the same time, AI presents significant opportunities for law enforcement, enabling faster data analysis, improved forensic investigations, and more efficient intelligence gathering. 

"Strengthened international co-operation, investment in AI capabilities, and robust regulatory frameworks are necessary to ensure responsible deployment.” 

In relation to radicalisation, the convention heard that it is a root cause of social polarisation and violence.

“Radicalisation in Europe spans diverse strands: Jihadist, right-wing, left-wing, and nihilistic,” the statement said. “Lone actors, online radicalisation, and simple attack methods, such as knife stabbings, pose growing challenges, while systemic vulnerabilities, including algorithms and social isolation, amplify risks.” 

Europol said police face difficulties in trying to identify those at risk, or in the process, of radicalisation.

“Law enforcement faces hurdles in detecting offline behavioural shifts, encrypted communications, and rapidly evolving propaganda,” it said.

“Strengthening community trust, cross-border information sharing, and proactive platform accountability, alongside early intervention programmes, is critical to countering this fluid threat landscape.”

• Cormac O’Keeffe, security correspondent