Artificial Intelligence and the problem of human trafficking

Human trafficking was estimated in 2024 as a US$236 billion per year (illicit) industry according to the International Labor Organization. In 2014, that figure was reported to be US$150 billion. Over the past decade, the number grew an alarming 37%.

UNICEF USA lists the causing factors of human trafficking as poverty, climate change and global conflict. Given today’s geopolitical instability and the unceasing impact of climate change, the exploitation of children, women and men will continue to grow rapidly and far outpace the forces trying desperately to stop it.

Networks engaged in illegal trafficking rings are hardly discrete in their recruiting efforts. They use advanced technologies such as geotracking and digital tracking apps (Snapchat, Tik Tok, Instagram, Tinder) to locate and recruit people under the guise of employment opportunities or dating requests.

Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) have compiled a lexicon used by traffickers on the web to lure victims through online ads and group chats in the hope that they can intercept these transactions, but nefarious actors and well established criminal networks are utilizing advanced technologies to avoid detection. For example, according to the EL PACCTO 2.0 Programme, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel have employed “smart routing” GenAI tools to plan trafficking routes for moving people across borders without LEA interference.

Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool, but its utility is not exclusive to criminal syndicates. When turned against the traffickers, AI becomes a formidable weapon for global defense. Counter-trafficking agencies are now deploying machine learning algorithms to scan millions of online classifieds simultaneously, identifying suspicious patterns and coded language at a scale human investigators cannot match. Predictive analytics can map high-risk digital zones, allowing LEAs to anticipate trafficking routes before they are even utilized. By automating the detection of fraudulent job listings and tracking illicit cryptocurrency trails, AI strips away the anonymity that traffickers rely on. It shifts the dynamic from passive reaction to proactive interruption, empowering authorities to dismantle networks from the inside out.

Ultimately, combating this modern crisis requires a collective commitment to digital awareness and individual safety. As trafficking methods migrate to the applications we use daily, understanding the privacy settings of our personal devices is the first line of defense. Both industries highlighted here might never be abolished due to their profitability, but making an illegal trade more transparent and therefore riskier, may make it less lucrative. One can only try."