Kash Patel says that AI use at the FBI has 'increased by 605%' since he became director — claims that every major tech player is 'embedded' in the agency

FBI Director Kash Patel claims that the bureau has seen a staggering 605% increase in the use of artificial intelligence since he took on the role of director. However, it's unclear what exactly this figure entails, as there is little solid data on the extent of AI integration within the FBI. In an interview on Fox News, Patel attributed this surge in AI usage to the technology's "pattern-recognition abilities," which make it ideal for law enforcement.

He highlighted that AI could be invaluable in protecting children from school shootings, assisting in stopping a shooting incident in North Carolina and several other states since his appointment. Patel's seven-fold increase in AI usage could refer to various applications, but there seems to be insufficient hard data to corroborate his claims.

The Department of Justice's 2025 report listed 50 AI use cases attributed to the FBI, with nine marked as high-impact, while the Chief AI Officer's recent statement placed approved use cases at 139, roughly three times the January amount. Major tech players like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon have made their AI models available to government agencies, and the Pentagon struck deals with AI companies.

Patel also stated that he can directly contact the CEOs of major AI players, and they have all complied and worked with the FBI on law enforcement matters. The FBI now categorizes AI-related crimes separately and has highlighted various areas where AI is used, such as generating call transcriptions and providing concise synopses.

Patel attributes a 30% increase in missing child locations and a 20% rise in child abuse arrests to the use of AI tools, including facial recognition.