AI and the Modern Private Investigator
Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, reshaping industries and revolutionising how businesses operate and deliver value to their clients. PDL’s Lead Investigator Peter Torley takes a look at its impact on Private Investigations.
I found myself watching the late News the other night and one piece in particular grabbed my attention. It was a report about a big AI Conference in Paris this month – global leaders, tech experts and a range of academics gathering to discuss AI’s evolution and its future implications.
Much of the excitement at the conference, said the News, would surround China’s DeepSeek, a groundbreaking new AI assistant shaking up the industry.
It was a timely news item for me because AI has been on my mind in recent times and – along with my colleagues here in our London office – we’ve been toying over its likely ongoing implications for the whole Private Investigation industry.
A game-changer?
Over the years, I’ve seen the world of private investigations evolve dramatically, and one of the biggest significant changes has certainly been artificial intelligence.
When I first started out in this line of work, the tools available were vastly different from what we have now. Today, AI has streamlined so many aspects of the job, making our work more efficient and – in some areas – more precise too. And while technology has always been part of our profession, the increased integration of AI has certainly taken things to a whole new level.
Some people even ask me if AI will ever replace private investigators entirely. The short answer is a definite No. But like everything else, it’s not a simple black-and-white situation.
Only part of the story
I remember when GPS trackers first became widely used – there was a lot of talk about how they would eliminate the need for physical surveillance. While GPS trackers are admittedly an incredible tool (allowing us to monitor locations with pinpoint accuracy and minimizing the risk of losing a subject) they only tell part of the story. After all, a tracker can tell you where someone has been, but it won’t tell you what they were doing or who they were with. That’s where physical surveillance remains invaluable.
The same applies to advances in remote surveillance technology. Back in 2012, we were already experimenting with unmanned camera systems that allowed us to monitor locations remotely. That was good – but there was a big issue, because reviewing the footage was incredibly time-consuming. In many cases, it was even more practical and cost-effective to have one of our investigators on-site.
Admittedly, today’s AI-enhanced security solutions are far more advanced, but even the best technology still requires a trained professional to interpret the data correctly. Off-the-shelf solutions are widely available, but at PDL we only use the best bespoke systems tailored to the specific needs of our clients.
One thing that hasn’t changed in my time in the industry, though, is the absolute importance of human testimony. Evidence from AI tools, GPS trackers or surveillance cameras can be incredibly useful, but at the end of the day it doesn’t replace the need for signed witness statements. As we always tell our clients and professional associates, data alone isn’t always enough – human verification remains essential for credibility in legal cases.
Security and Ethical Considerations
Of course, with the benefits of AI come some important security concerns. At PDL, we take privacy incredibly seriously, and we have strict Non-Disclosure Agreements in place for every aspect of our work, from our clients to our internal processes.
Any AI tools that we use, especially those that handle sensitive data, are carefully vetted by our team as we take the utmost precautions to protect our clients’ confidentiality at all times. That is – and always has been – central to PDL’s core ethical standards. This area certainly needs the human touch as the ethics cannot be handed over to a machine.
Practical AI Applications in Investigations
The term ‘artificial intelligence’ makes it sound like something futuristic, but in reality, it’s already embedded in much of our everyday work and many of us have been using AI for years without realising it – spell checkers, for example, or things like predictive text. The list is always growing.
A perfect example: I once had to analyse a document in French regarding property ownership. With no French-speaking colleague immediately available, I turned to a well-known AI-powered translation tool – you can probably guess which one. Within seconds, I had a clear summary of the document’s key points. It saved me considerable time and effort, but of course I still had to verify the translation in a more human way before relying on it as evidence.
AI has also enhanced PDL’s ability to conduct international investigations. With the right tools, we can now access intelligence databases, track down individuals, and gather background information more efficiently than ever before. Whether you consider an intelligence database an AI tool or not, the fact is that technology has made it significantly easier to find the information we need.
That being said, AI isn’t always perfect. We’ve evaluated various AI-driven report-writing tools, and the results have been somewhat mixed – because while AI can summarize data quickly, it doesn’t always get the details right. As accuracy is 100% critical in our field, AI-generated reports still require careful fact-checking – by humans! The last thing we want is for an automated system to unintentionally alter the truth.
The Bottom Line
AI is certainly a powerful asset in modern private investigations, but it’s just that – an asset, nothing more. Like other industries, it enhances our work, makes certain tasks more efficient, and provides valuable insights, but it doesn’t replace the need for skilled professional investigators. At the end of the day, our ability to analyse situations, interpret human behaviour, and make professional judgment calls is what truly sets good private investigators apart.
There’s no doubt that technology will continue to evolve, and we’ll keep integrating AI at PDL where it makes sense. But no matter how advanced AI becomes, the human element remains irreplaceable. And as long as that’s the case, private investigators will always have a job to do – professionally, efficiently and effectively.
Get in Touch
If you are seeking a professional Private Investigator in London or worldwide, we’d love you to get in touch.
Call me – Peter – anytime on +44(0)2037471865.
