Speaking ahead of the visit by His Royal Highness to Microsoft’s HQ, Lord William Hague, Chairman of the United for Wildlife Taskforce, said:

“The illegal wildlife trade is among the five most lucrative global crimes and is often run by highly organized criminal networks who exploit our transport and financial systems to move illegal animal products and their criminal profits around the world.

“This is a hugely complex global issue, but when institutions including transport, technology, financial services and enforcement agencies work collaboratively to share knowledge, expertise, and information it enhances our ability to detect and dismantle the sophisticated criminal networks that sit behind each trafficking act. Working in partnership with the public and private sector is crucial if we are to stop this illegal trade for good.”

Following the pioneering trials at Heathrow, Microsoft is now calling on conservation organizations, law enforcement agencies and other major transport hubs to deploy Project SEEKER and help improve the AI model’s capabilities.

Daniel Haines, AI Specialist and Project SEEKER Lead at Microsoft, said: “Illegal wildlife trafficking has a devastating effect for the decline of species and earth’s natural environments. It is a complex illicit trade but with the right AI intervention deployed in the right places, we have a real possibility of dismantling it. Project SEEKER shows the potential for data and AI to enable enforcement teams to crack down on wildlife trafficking like never before.

“Improved rates of detecting illegal wildlife trafficking at transit hot spots is just the start. The data captured by authorities will allow them to create a clear picture of where smuggling starts, its routes and destinations, leading to a more effective and collaborative approach to stamping out these criminal networks.”