Plans for a “transformative evolution” of the The Hague-based agency, announced this summer, would double its budget to €3 billion and give Europol a hands-on role in fighting new threats, with access to more data and advanced technology.

The move reflects the reality that, as developers and politicians debate whether the development of frontier AI models should be slowed down, law enforcement is already facing criminals who are using the latest technology.

But the plans are also raising questions about privacy and governance, igniting a fierce debate over how far-reaching police agencies' powers should be to keep people safe from and with AI.

Wojciech Wiewiórowski, who runs the data protection authority that supervises all EU agencies and institutions, said he is “absolutely in favor” of empowering Europol to use data and new AI-powered tools, but there “has to be oversight.”

“When I hear about strengthening Europol, changing the scope of activities, and really very substantive investment in the agency itself, I'm very happy as a citizen,” he said. “But I have to ask, why there is nothing about the way to supervise Europol in the proposal?”

Faster, at scale

Jürgen Ebner, the agency’s deputy executive director, who was named last month to take its helm, said that crimefighting today requires equipping your organization with the full powers of artificial intelligence.