Kent County Council considering using artificial intelligence to catch law-breaking motorists

Kent County Council is considering using Artificial Intelligence across a range of its services, new policy papers show.

The idea to use the technology was discussed at a meeting on Tuesday (19 September), and could see AI rolled out in a number of departments.

One usage that the council identified was to catch law-breaking motorists who were not compliant with speed limits, to 'determine where further population-level action may be required'.

The software would read and classify vehicle movement data where installed, the document says. It would then highlight road sections where rules are broken.

The authority is also considering using AI in a range of other projects, including Technology Enabled Care, which would see the software used to support independent living for those who currently need help from the council.

It could also be used to identify residents who were at risk of homelessness or who are experiencing financial hardship, which would enable the council to proactively support them.

Another use would be to analyse the condition of Kent's highways and aid officers into taking appropriate actions. This would be through the identification of highways defects, such as potholes, carriageway cracks or damaged road signs or markings.

Residents could also see drones flying overhead in the coming years, which would conduct inspection surveys of vegetation, water, power and other issues across the county - all powered by Artificial Intelligence.

Council leader Roger Gough commented on the proposals at Tuesday's meeting, saying it was 'very constructive'.

"Some forms of AI have been with us for a long time," he said. "The interest has been triggered by the spectacular growth and awareness of new language models.

"We've had interest from people like the EHRC and there has been interest at all levels of government as how to respond to these challenges.

"The paper sets out how to deal with inequalities and biases in these technologies.

"Overall... it sets out the ways in which we should respond to this [AI].

"I think the overall approach seems to be proportionate... I commend the paper... and believe it to be a very important area to the council."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...