Shanghai in China unveils its AI-powered judicial system for handling criminal cases

An AI-powered judicial system now runs in China.

This is not surprising. After all, the nation timed the launch of this system with the World Artificial Intelligence Conference 2019 from August 29 to 31. The “206 System” has generated a lot of controversies. But it has also displayed China’s AI leadership.

Though the so-called 206 system was first tested in January this year, China formally inaugurated it on Tuesday. This launch is further proof that the Chinese government wants the country to take a global lead in AI technology.

System 206: multiple capabilities

The multi-faceted AI system can:

• Transcribe testimony
• Transfer physical data and documents to electronic databases
• Display relevant parameters immediately, such as time, place, people, behavior and consequences
• Identify defective or contradicting evidence
• Respond to oral commands to display evidence and information on screens around the courtroom
• Inter-connect with judicial, procuratorial, public security authorities and courts

High command directive

Shanghai’s public security, procuratorial, and judicial authorities as well as domestic AI company iFLYTEK jointly developed the system as per the directive issued by the Political and Judiciary Commission under the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on February 6, 2017.

Further, more than 400 people from various government departments collaborated with more than 300 IT personnel from iFLYTEK to develop system 206 during the following two years.