- West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford has officially apologized to British MPs after admitting to providing misleading information regarding the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.
- He stated that intelligence data included a fictional match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham, which never actually took place.
- This error stemmed from the use of Microsoft Copilot, a generative AI tool, during the information synthesis process.
- Previously, Guildford had asserted that the police force did not use AI and claimed the error resulted from “an individual performing a Google search.”
- The false information was included in a file submitted to a security advisory group led by the local council, which then decided to ban away fans.
- The ban concerned the Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa in November.
- The incident occurred as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood prepared to report to Parliament on the results of an investigation by the British police inspectorate.
- In an email to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Guildford offered a “deep apology” and emphasized that he did not intentionally mislead them.
- He stated he honestly believed the information came from a manual search, based on the initial advice he received.
- The incident has raised concerns about the reliability of AI in public security decisions and information verification processes.
📌 Conclusion: West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford has officially apologized to British MPs after admitting to providing false information regarding the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. This error originated from the use of Microsoft Copilot, a generative AI tool, during the synthesis process.
