Japan police develop AI system to quickly make investigative sketches
Police in Aichi Prefecture, working with the University of Human Environments and NTT Data Group Corp., have developed an artificial intelligence system designed to quickly produce composite drawings of suspects. The goal is to save time and enable even nonartists to create reliable sketches, Qazinform News Agency cites Kyodo.
The system will undergo trials from April 2026 to September 2027, though authorities have not yet set a timeline for full-scale use.
During a December test at police headquarters in Nagoya, students observed the face of an officer posing as a suspect for about 30 seconds. They then entered basic details such as gender, age, nose size, and hairstyle. The AI generated four composite sketches, from which the students selected the closest match and made minor adjustments. The process took about 10 minutes.
“It was difficult, but I was able to make a sketch similar to the model. I hope the system can be utilized to quickly detain suspects,” said Kaho Hibino, a 22-year-old student.
Police officials emphasized the efficiency gains. Yoshihiro Aoyama, head of the cyber unit, stated:
“We aim to make police work more efficient by adopting AI.”
To note, Japan boosts domestic AI and chip production with record budget.