Going cyberpunk: Conceptualizing the smart(er) artificially intelligent firearm for policing's Utopian future
| Published date | 01 September 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/14613557231184689 |
| Author | Mehzeb Chowdhury |
| Date | 01 September 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Special Issue: Technology in Policing |
Going cyberpunk: Conceptualizing the
smart(er) artificially intelligent firearm for
policing’s Utopian future
Mehzeb Chowdhury
Northumbria University, UK
Abstract
As policing develops into a more professional, evidence-driven and technical endeavour, heightened public concern
regarding organizational competence and police culture-related fallacies have become augmented, especially in the case
of officer-involved shootings. Introduction of body-worn cameras, increased CCTV coverage, vehicle dashcams and
the advent of social media, have provided avenues for investigation into misconduct, but institutional and individual failings
such as racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination remain a concern. Technical innovations like smart guns, smart
targeting and programmable projectiles have instigated conversations about traditional firearms and whether alternatives
using cutting-edge technology could address some of these shortcomings. This article examines existing policing tech-
nologies, providing an overview of advanced computational and sensor systems, the risks and dangers of these mechan-
isms, as well as their potential benefits and drawbacks. It conceptualizes whether existing technologies can be
transformed into a smarter, more efficient firearm, powered by artificial intelligence (AI). The premise of the AI-assisted
firearm being the promise of a future in which unwanted outcomes in officer/citizen encounters can be counteracted
through AI assisting in better decision-making. The article considers hardware and software, policy issues, associated
risks and potential advantages of the firearms system, providing a wider perspective on the increasing use of computa-
tional technologies in policing practice, and highlighting areas for further research and discussion.
Keywords
Police technologies, officer-involved shootings, artificial intelligence, smart guns, decision-making, police culture, policing
futures
Submitted 30 Jan 2023, Revise received 11 May 2023, accepted 9 Jun 2023
Introduction
Technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence
(AI) have entered the policing discourse in recent times,
mainly due to the potential benefits that implementation
of the same can have on the vocation. With the adoption
of such technologies into western law enforcement practice,
questions of ethics, public safety, privacy and civil liberties
have also entered arisen (Hayashi et al., 2012; Joh, 2016,
2019; Lin et al., 2017; Turner, 2018). These have been
accentuated by a wider conversation about police culture
and bias driven by contemporary and historical dissent
against racism, sexism and the use of excessive force that
had for years been associated with policing (Noriega,
2020; Osoba and Welser, 2017). It has led to questions
such as ‘Do police need guns?’(Farmer and Evans, 2021)
and whether a firearms-free future could be extrapolated
Corresponding author:
Mehzeb Chowdhury, Northumbria University, 2 Sandyford Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8SB, UK.
Email: mehzeb.r.chowdhury@northumbria.ac.uk
Special Issue: Technology in Policing
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
2023, Vol. 25(3) 324–337
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/14613557231184689
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