Argentine President Javier Milei announced an ambitious plan to use artificial intelligence to predict, detect, and investigate crimes. While the initiative aims to enhance security, it raises serious concerns about extensive surveillance and policing.

Last week, Argentina's Ministry of Security unveiled the Artificial Intelligence Applied to Security Unit (UIAAS), which aims to use "machine-learning algorithms to analyze historical crime data to predict future crimes and help prevent them." The tools at the UIAAS's disposal include facial recognition software, social media monitoring, drone surveillance, and real-time security footage analysis to identify political threats and criminal groups. 

"The advancement of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, represents one of the most relevant socio-technological changes for the general population," said Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, citing the United States, China, India, and Israel as examples of countries using AI in security operations.

Bullrich emphasized that the UIAAS would "significantly improve the efficiency of the different areas of the ministry and of the federal police and security forces, allowing for faster and more precise responses to threats and emergencies."

The new AI unit will consist of police officers and agents from various security forces tasked with overseeing the "prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of crime." Key functions include identifying cyber threats, handling bomb disposal with robots, enhancing communication speed among security teams, and managing large volumes of data. Additionally, the UIAAS will monitor social media networks in real time to detect potential threats, suspicious financial transactions, and other indicators of illegal activities. 

Despite Milei's libertarian stance on several issues like privatization and deregulation, there are growing fears that Argentina's predictive policing program could become a tool for oppression, leading to extensive monitoring of citizens and threats to their freedoms.