Commissioner at Scottish Public Sector AI Conference

On Thursday 21 May 2026, the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner Dr Brian Plastow is speaking in the leadership session of the public sector AI conference at the University of Strathclyde. The Commissioner will speak on the theme of ethics, trust, and confidence in the police use of AI highlighting that certain AI-enabled biometrics have been used effectively in UK policing without controversy since 2008.

However, the Commissioner will also draw a distinction between those AI-enabled biometric technologies in policing which are implemented in a highly effective way and those which are not. Using live facial recognition in England and Wales as an example, the Commissioner will explain why effective AI algorithms and effective policing systems are not the same thing. In doing so, he will highlight the need for improved ethical leadership, transparency, and accountability in the use of emerging AI-enabled biometrics by UK policing to help maintain public confidence and trust