AI Identifies Sex From Skulls Faster and More Accurately Than Experts
by James Mills
Artificial intelligence has exceeded human capabilities in yet another area.
AI has surpassed human forensic experts in determining biological sex from skeletal remains. Forensic anthropologists traditionally analyze human skeletons to estimate age, lifestyle, and sex—key information for criminal investigations, identifying remains, archaeology, and paleoanthropology. Now, a team from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has developed an AI tool that identifies the sex of individuals from their skulls more quickly and accurately than human specialists. Unlike human examiners, who rely on anthropological standards based on specific skull features—standards that may not fully represent today’s diverse populations—this AI leverages deep learning to detect patterns across bones.
In a research study published in Scientific Reports in December 2024, the team trained the AI using cranial CT scans from 200 Indonesian individuals and tested its results against known data. Human forensic experts, referencing several prominent skull features, achieved an accuracy rate of 82%. By contrast, the AI, which processes subtle details and identifies patterns often missed by humans, reached 97%. This speed and precision highlight the potential of AI to enhance forensic analysis, offering a more reliable tool for understanding the demographics of modern populations.
The development of this AI tool by CSIRO marks a significant leap forward for criminal forensics and investigations. By determining biological sex from human skulls with a 97% accuracy rate—far surpassing the 82% achieved by human experts—this technology offers a faster, more reliable method to identify unidentified remains, a critical step in solving cold cases and advancing active investigations. Its ability to analyze subtle patterns across diverse modern populations not only enhances the precision of forensic anthropology but also promises to streamline efforts in criminal investigations, where time and accuracy can mean the difference between closure and uncertainty.
Source: forensicmag.com.
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