Abu Dhabi — Can artificial intelligence outsmart criminals? That is the wager being placed by Themis, a U.K.-headquartered anti-financial crime firm, which on Wednesday unveiled its AI Investigator at the Abu Dhabi Global Market auditorium. The platform promises to expose the hidden layers of financial crime — a task often considered too complex for human investigators.
The company says the system can cut investigation times from weeks to minutes. Themis chief executive Dickon Johnstone told Khaleej Times, “Criminals deliberately build complicated structures so no investigator can realistically comb through them. Our AI Investigator can scan millions of data points at the click of a button and reveal the relationships hidden beneath.”
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The platform is trained on proprietary data, supported by an Innovate UK grant, and scans ownership structures, regulatory filings, and negative media. It applies behavioral analysis and pattern recognition to uncover links that might otherwise remain buried.
Calling Abu Dhabi the ideal stage for a global launch, Johnstone praised the Emirates’ “AI-first” approach. “The UAE has shown the world how to lead in AI, with its national strategy and institutions dedicated to the field. This is exactly the type of forward-looking environment where breakthroughs like ours can thrive,” he said.
The platform is cloud-agnostic and scalable, making it suitable for banks, real estate firms, professional services, and government entities. Johnstone added, “In a few years, we will wonder how compliance was ever possible without AI. This technology doesn’t just make due diligence faster — it makes it instinctive.”
Abu Dhabi has pledged 13 billion dirhams (about ₹29,000 crore) in AI investments between 2025 and 2027 as part of its Falcon Economy vision, with ADGM and Hub71 driving innovation. Johnstone said the city’s ecosystem makes it a natural launchpad.
Expert Opinion
Cybercrime expert and former professor Triveni Singh said the initiative could have far-reaching implications well beyond the Middle East.
“Financial crimes are no longer confined to one country. Criminals hide behind shell companies, anonymous accounts, and digital layering to disguise their tracks. Tools powered by AI can pierce through these layers within seconds and bring out the truth,” he said.
Singh stressed that integrating such technology with regulatory frameworks and law enforcement agencies will be essential. “If AI tools are directly linked with banking systems and investigative units, criminals can be detected faster and victims can receive timely relief,” he noted.