President Gabriel Boric: Artificial Intelligence to Aid in Search for Missing Detainees
During the inauguration of the “Congress of the Future” in Santiago, President Gabriel Boric announced that artificial intelligence would play a crucial role in the search for missing detainees in Chile. This declaration comes as part of the government’s implementation of the Search Plan, which aims to locate over 1,000 individuals who were victims of enforced disappearance during the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship. Boric believes that AI can provide valuable insights and help connect relevant information to shed light on these unresolved cases.
Unsholster: Implementing Artificial Intelligence in Search for Chile’s Missing Victims
Unsholster, a specialized company in data analysis, data science, and software development, has been awarded the project of implementing artificial intelligence in the search for missing victims in Chile. Led by civil engineer Antonio Díaz-Araujo, Unsholster is responsible for the technological analysis of the vast amount of information available. The company is working to transform the typewritten and handwritten documents into searchable data using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology. As the main contractor in this project, Unsholster aims to provide a platform that can process and interconnect the extensive collection of files from different sources.
Cross-Referencing Information: Key Role of Artificial Intelligence in Search Plan
Justice Minister Luis Cordero emphasizes the importance of cross-referencing information from various files that are spread across state agencies in the search for missing detainees. The vast amount of data involved makes it impossible for human investigators to process and interconnect the information effectively. Artificial intelligence, with its ability to read, recognize names, dates, and places, can play a vital role in filling in the investigative gaps. By developing and applying algorithms, AI can help uncover connections and patterns within the vast archive of documents, providing valuable insights that could assist in finding the missing victims.
From Typewritten Documents to Data: Applying OCR Technology in Investigation
The investigation into the missing detainees faces a unique challenge due to the nature of the documents involved. Most of the judicial files were processed in the old Chilean justice system, which relied on typewritten and handwritten pages. Unsholster, along with the Human Rights Program and the Judicial Branch, is working to digitize the documents using OCR technology to transform the scanned images into searchable data. By creating a classification tree and applying OCR to different types of pages, Unsholster aims to extract crucial information, such as names, dates, and places. This transformation will significantly facilitate the investigation process.
Initial Results: Military Officers’ Mentions Found in Unsholster’s Human Rights Program
After applying OCR technology to the identification documents, Unsholster has already discovered thousands of mentions of military officers involved in human rights violations. Some notable mentions include Manuel Contreras, former director general of the feared DINA, who appears 2,800 times; Pedro Espinoza and Miguel Krassnoff, both serving sentences in Punta Peuco prison, with 2,079 and 2,954 mentions, respectively. Marcelo Moren Brito, the torturer of ex-president Michelle Bachelet’s mother, appears 2,284 times. These initial findings demonstrate the potential of artificial intelligence in uncovering relevant connections and providing leads in the search for missing detainees.
Analyst comment
Positive news: The use of artificial intelligence in the search for missing detainees in Chile is a significant development in the government’s Search Plan. AI is expected to provide valuable insights and help connect relevant information to shed light on unresolved cases.
As an analyst, I would predict that the market for artificial intelligence technologies and related services in Chile will experience growth. There will be an increased demand for data analysis, data science, and software development companies like Unsholster, which are specialized in implementing AI for investigative purposes. Additionally, there may be a rise in the adoption of OCR technology and other AI tools for transforming and analyzing large volumes of data in various industries.
