Artificial Intelligence, Counter-Terrorism and the Rule of Law: At the Heart of National Security

This insightful book examines the use of advanced technology, specifically artificial intelligence (AI), both as a tool in the hands of terrorists and as a powerful security counter-measure. It sheds light on the legal issues arising from the presence of AI in national security matters and identifies how AI can be regulated in this sensitive field. Arianna Vedaschi and Chiara Graziani illustrate the importance of safeguarding human rights while utilising advanced counter-terrorism tools and analyse the consequent legal challenges posed by AI . Adopting a comparative legal perspective, this book provides a comprehensive overview of counter-terrorism in Western democracies and advocates for a regulatory framework on the use of AI in national security. This book is an essential resource for scholars and students of comparative law, constitutional and administrative law, global and transnational law and terrorism and security law. Judicial and human rights practitioners will also benefit from this volume.

Table of Contents:
Contents Introduction: the complex relationship between advanced technology, security and rights ix PART I TECHNOLOGY AS A ‘TERRORIST TOOL’ 1 The use of technology in terrorist activities in the ‘real digital world’ 7 2 The use of technology in terrorist activities in the ‘real digital world’ 30 A final overview on technology as a terrorist tool 37 Appendix to Part I: a taxonomy of the terrorist use of technology 39 PART II TECHNOLOGY AS A “COUNTER-TERRORISM TOOL” A general introductory overview: technology as a tool to respond to terrorism 41 3 Identifying the threat: surveillance through the collection and retention of metadata 47 4 Identifying the threat by scanning the web: the flagging and removal of terrorist content 58 5 Identifying the threat by relying on biometric data 73 6 ‘Chasing’ the terrorist threat: technologies for ‘personalised’ surveillance 102 7 Technology and counter-terrorism: shaping the public opinion 121 A final overview on technology as a counter-terrorism tool 127 Appendix to Part II 129 Conclusions: artificial intelligence in the field of security – rule of law concerns, regulatory challenges and geopolitical impact 130

About the Author :
Arianna Vedaschi, Full Professor of Comparative Public Law and Chiara Graziani, Assistant Professor of Comparative Public Law, Bocconi University, Italy

Review :
‘While states and terrorists have always used emerging technology in their endeavours, there has seldom been an emerging technology with the reach, implications, and possibilities of AI. In this masterful book, Vedaschi and Graziani skilfully merge law, computer science, psychology and more to provide the authoritative account of how AI enables terrorist actors, promises security, and challenges the rule of law.’ ‘This book provides important insights into the critical intersection of AI with counter-terrorism in democratic countries. Addressing the ways in which technology shapes both terrorism and counter-terrorism, the authors provide a fresh and distinctive take on the triangle of rights, counter-terrorism and AI. Technically proficient, insightful and thoughtful the book will be an asset to scholars and policy-makers.’ ‘A truly important book for understanding, on a comparative legal basis, the complex interaction between law and technology in relation to the contrast of terrorism.’