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Cops put Microsoft Copilot in holding cell after controversial hallucination
https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/28/microsoft_copilot_wmp/Chatbot banned -- for now -- after it dreamed up West Ham match that never happened
West Midlands Police's acting Chief Constable has suspended use of Microsoft Copilot following a controversy that led to the early retirement of his predecessor over a recommendation to ban Israeli football fans from a Birmingham match.
The force's recommendation to block Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the team's Europa League match against Aston Villa on November 6 was partly based on material generated by the AI tool about disruption to a non-existent match against London club West Ham.
On January 6, former Chief Constable Craig Guildford told Parliament's Home Affairs Committee that his officers had not used AI to find this material, then corrected this in a letter to say they had.
Following criticism by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and others, Guildford retired at age 52. West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said that he had already started the process that would allow him to fire Guildford when he announced his retirement.
. . .
The force's recommendation to block Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the team's Europa League match against Aston Villa on November 6 was partly based on material generated by the AI tool about disruption to a non-existent match against London club West Ham.
On January 6, former Chief Constable Craig Guildford told Parliament's Home Affairs Committee that his officers had not used AI to find this material, then corrected this in a letter to say they had.
Following criticism by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and others, Guildford retired at age 52. West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said that he had already started the process that would allow him to fire Guildford when he announced his retirement.
. . .
From the comments:
The only thing worse than relying on AI is a policeman relying on AI
"I have never seen a situation so dismal that a policeman couldn't make it worse."
-- Brendan Behan
"I have never seen a situation so dismal that a policeman couldn't make it worse."
-- Brendan Behan