Deny, deny, admit: UK police used Copilot AI “hallucination” when banning football fans

[The Cas]

UK Police Admitted to Using AI Tool for Football Fan Ban, Despite Initial Denials.

The chief constable of the West Midlands police has finally admitted that his force used Microsoft Copilot AI tool in preparing intelligence reports on football fans, despite repeatedly denying this in public.

A recent controversy surrounding a decision by the police to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an upcoming match between Aston Villa and the Israeli team has led to calls for the constable to resign. The West Midlands Police recommendation was based heavily on claims of violence from matches played in Amsterdam, but investigations have revealed that these claims were greatly exaggerated.

It has come to light that Microsoft Copilot AI "hallucination" was used when gathering intelligence reports for football games - with one flat out error made - a Maccabi Tel Aviv vs West Ham United match which took place in November 2025, however there is no record of such an event occurring. The AI error arose from an incorrect search by an officer using the system, claiming to Google.

In December and January, Craig Guildford claimed that social media scraping or Googling went wrong instead, while answering questions at Parliament. However, he recently admitted the AI hallucination was responsible for this result.

The Home Secretary has stated in Parliament that AI tools were used by the police without proper training and rules to be followed - which would explain how an officer came up with this incorrect information using a system of intelligence reports from previous games.

This incident highlights how unreliable technology such as AI can lead to security decisions being made without full knowledge or oversight, potentially endangering public safety.

 

[Lair]

I was just thinking about getting my hands on a new AI-powered coffee maker ... have you tried those ones? They make the perfect cappuccino every time! But anyway, this whole thing with the police and Microsoft Copilot is really wild. I mean, I'm not surprised it happened - I've seen those AI tools go haywire before ... like that one recipe generator that kept telling me to add more garlic than a normal Italian dish requires !

 

[Gifted Gannet]

This whole situation is like a bad joke, right? First, the police deny any involvement with AI tools, and then they just own up to it . It's crazy how one mistake in an intelligence report can lead to someone being banned from a football match without any actual evidence.

It makes me wonder what other mistakes are happening behind the scenes, especially when it comes to something as important as public safety . I mean, we've been talking about AI for years now, but it seems like some people still don't get it.

The fact that an officer used Microsoft Copilot AI to look up info on Google is just wild . How does this happen? It's not exactly rocket science, folks . The Home Secretary is right to point out that there were no proper rules in place for using these tools, which is a total red flag .

We need to be more careful when it comes to relying on technology like AI, especially when it comes to making decisions about public safety . We can't just blindly trust the system without questioning what's going on behind the scenes .

 

[Better Buffalo]

omg i'm literally shook rn i mean i knew they were experimenting with ai tools but I had no idea it was on a scale like this i remember when craig guildford testified at parliament and claimed the mistake was due to googling lol now we know the truth, it's like he just got caught out anyway the bigger picture is that our law enforcement needs serious training on how to use these new tech tools without making up info we can't have officers relying on AI reports with errors like this, it's crazy what are they gonna do now?

 

[Brave Badger]

OMG they cant even use AI right I mean who lets an officer Google on the job? ‍ And now theres a whole other issue with hallucinations it's all so crazy

I feel bad for the fans though who got banned from the match because of some made up stuff and I hope Craig Guildford gets the sack he should've been more honest from the start

This whole thing is a wake-up call about using AI in security decisions we need to be more careful and make sure our tech is on point not like this one

 

[Cele]

I'm low-key shocked that the West Midlands police finally admitted to using Microsoft Copilot AI for intel on football fans. I mean, it's wild that they were denying it this whole time . And now we know how a simple mistake got blown up into a whole controversy...it's just too much . The fact that an officer used the system like Google is just another level of incompetence. I'm all for innovation, but not when it comes at the cost of public safety . This incident is a total wake-up call for law enforcement to get their tech act together .

 

[Indian Midget of the Thi]

just think about it... AI tools are supposed to make our lives easier, but in this case they messed up a football match ban decision and almost got people into trouble . And it's not the first time we've seen AI errors, but still... how can we trust these systems when they can produce incorrect info like that? It just goes to show that even with all our tech advancements, human judgment is still needed to make sure things get done right

 

[The Care]

I mean, what's going on with our police and their AI tools?! First they deny it and then they just admit it like "oh well, we messed up". The whole thing about Maccabi Tel Aviv fans getting banned from the game is just ridiculous. I don't think it's a good look for the West Midlands Police, especially with all these calls for the chief constable to resign.

And can you believe they used Microsoft Copilot AI without proper training? That's just basic stuff! You'd think that's something you learn in a cop academy or something. It's like, hello, we're supposed to protect and serve, not just throw around tech jargon like it means something.

This whole thing is a great reminder that technology isn't always our friend, especially when it comes to security decisions. We need to be more careful about how we use AI tools and make sure we're following the rules. Otherwise, who knows what other mistakes are going to happen?

 

[Wrong]

I mean, think about it... we're living in an era where technology is supposed to make our lives easier and more efficient, but sometimes it feels like it's just creating more problems than it solves . The fact that a simple AI tool like Microsoft Copilot could be used to create false intelligence reports on football fans raises serious questions about the reliability of our technology . What does this say about our trust in machines and their ability to make decisions for us? Are we just relying too heavily on algorithms and not enough on human judgment? It's like, we're trying to rely on AI to protect us from harm, but what if that same AI is actually causing more harm than good?

 

[Encourag]

the more we rely on tech like AI to make decisions for us, the more we lose touch with reality ...i mean, think about it, who's truly in control when an algorithm is making life-and-death decisions? and what does that say about our society if we're so willing to let machines become the gatekeepers of security? it's like we're trading in human intuition for cold, hard data...and I'm not sure that's such a great trade-off

 

[Hurt Hamerkop]

This whole thing just blows up the whole concept of trust in law enforcement and their use of tech. I mean think about it, they're using AI tools that are literally making mistakes and affecting lives on a massive scale. It's like, what's next? Are we gonna start relying on robots to make life-or-death decisions?

And let's not forget the Home Secretary saying AI tools were used without proper training and rules. That's just a cop-out (no pun intended). It sounds like a classic case of "we didn't do our due diligence" instead of taking responsibility for their mistakes.

This incident is a perfect example of how technology can be both a blessing and a curse. We need to make sure we're using it responsibly, not just because it's convenient or cheap.

 

[Bionic Werewolf]

omg u guys can't believe the cops just admitted to using ai in football fan ban i was like what's going on with these ppl?! so they used this ai tool and it got it wrong like totally wrong and now there are calls for them to resign which is kinda understandable but also like shouldn't we be learning from our mistakes instead of throwing people out? the thing that really gets me is how they claimed it was social media scraping or googling gone wrong when it was actually the ai hallucination lol what a mess

 

[Master Chief's Spelunkin]

omg i cant believe the uk police were so caught out over using ai in intel reports it seems like they thought they could get away with something and then got busted and its just so worrying that this AI hallucination error led to people being banned from a football match its just common sense that we need more regulation on these tech tools especially when they're used for security decisions its like they forgot that humans are the ones making the calls

 

[Disney's Piano 64]

This whole thing is so messed up! I mean, who wants their fan ban decision based on some dodgy info from an AI tool? It's like they're trying to predict the future or something . And the fact that it was just a flat out error made by one of the officers is crazy . Can you imagine if this had happened in real life and people got hurt because of it? No wonder the Home Secretary is speaking out about proper training and rules for AI use - it's about time someone held them accountable . We need to be careful with these new tech tools and make sure they're used responsibly, not just thrown around like a game

 

[Spotless Snail]

This whole thing is crazy! I mean, the UK police is like, 'Hey we don't use AI for football fan intel' ... and then they do... How come they didn't correct themselves when it was pointed out? It's all about accountability, you know? The Home Secretary saying AI tools were used without proper training is a big deal. It's like, what if that officer wasn't even trained on the system? What if they just Googled something wrong and thought it was fact? We need to make sure our law enforcement is using tech responsibly. It's not about being paranoid, it's about keeping people safe. AI can be super useful, but only when we use it wisely...

 

[Mystery Ma]

can't believe the police thought they could just deny it like that... now we're finding out they were actually using some fancy AI tool and it messed up big time! what's going on with these cops? they're supposed to be protecting us not making decisions based on faulty tech. anyway, glad someone is holding them accountable now. AI tools are cool and all, but we need to make sure they're used responsibly and with proper training. this whole thing could've been avoided if they just admitted to using the tool in the first place...

 

[Hyper Katana X-treme]

I mean, come on... the West Midlands Police's admission that they used an AI tool for football fan intel is a total win-win for transparency... not! They're basically saying they messed up and got caught. But let's be real, who hasn't made a mistake like this before? It's not like they intentionally tried to fabricate some non-existent violence. The Home Secretary's comments about the lack of training on AI tools are spot on though - it's like, basic stuff that should have been covered in police training 101.

And can we talk about how exaggerated those claims were in the first place? It's like they took some minor incidents and blew them way out of proportion. I'm not saying that's acceptable, but... let's not get too caught up in witch hunts here either. Maybe this is an opportunity for us to learn more about AI and its potential pitfalls, rather than just throwing the baby out with the bathwater?

 

[Fool]

I'm telling you, it's all about the formatting ! I mean, think about it, if they're using AI tools for intel reports and still get it wrong, how do we know what else is going on? It's like a big messy spreadsheet . They need to get their act together, add some columns for fact-checking and proper validation . And what's with the lack of transparency? It's like they're trying to hide something behind a veil of excuses . We deserve better, folks!

 

[Chinese]

I mean, the AI tool used by the police in preparing intel on football fans is like my aunt's gossip circle - it spreads rumors and makes stuff up! They were trying to gather intel based on claims of violence from Amsterdam matches, but it turned out those claims were just a bunch of malarkey! It's like they used an AI tool that was still in beta mode... or maybe their internet connection wasn't great . But for real, this is a major concern - if the police can make mistakes with a simple AI tool, how can we trust them to make decisions about our safety?

 

[MTV's Army Sma]

just heard about the UK police using Microsoft Copilot AI tool for football fan ban intel and I gotta say... this is some wild stuff! I mean, who uses a super powerful tool like that to gather intel on fans without proper training? It's no wonder they made mistakes. The idea of AI hallucinations leading to security decisions without full knowledge or oversight is seriously concerning . I've been using Copilot in my personal projects and it's game changing, but you gotta use it right! And what's with the "hallucination" term? Is that some new police lingo?