“EXCLUSIVE Airport chaos as Border Force IT systems COLLAPSE nationwide: ‘Major, major incident’ underway at Heathrow and others”- Mail On-Line
The above report was the headline report of The Mail Newspaper on-line yesterday, May 7, 2024
When Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts and enthusiasts express the positive technological disruptive potential and the versatility of most aspects of AI, some critics think that it’s been overhyped or exaggerated.
However, in a situation where a critical security database like the ‘Border Crossing’ experienced a complete shutdown, such as the case yesterday (May 7) across major airports in the UK, perhaps, if AI had been adopted could have assisted in several ways to help address the issue and mitigate its impact on thousands of passengers across the major airports in Britain. In this article, I will share how the adoption and deployment of AI could have been leveraged in such a scenario:
First; Predictive Maintenance: AI-powered predictive maintenance systems could have anticipated and prevented database failures by analyzing data patterns and detecting anomalies that may lead to shutdowns. This proactive approach could have helped in preventing system failures before they occurred .
Secondly; Automated Recovery: AI algorithms could have been used to automate the recovery process in the event of a database shutdown. AI systems could have quickly identify the root cause of the issue, troubleshot, and initiated recovery procedures to restore the database to operational status quicker than it took.
Thirdly; Data Recovery and Backup: AI technologies could have assisted in quicker data recovery and backup processes, ensuring that critical data is protected and can be quickly restored in case of a system failure. AI-powered backup solutions can optimize data storage, automate backup tasks, and facilitate rapid recovery in emergencies.
Fourthly; Security and Monitoring: AI-powered security systems, if in place, could have detected and prevented cyber or any other possible threats that may have caused the shutdown of the database. AI algorithms can continuously monitor network activities, identify suspicious behavior, and provide real-time alerts to security teams to mitigate potential risks.
Lastly; System Optimization: AI could have been used to optimize the performance of the database system, improved efficiency, and enhanced scalability. AI algorithms could have analyzed the system performance metrics, in order to identify bottlenecks, and recommended optimizations to ensure smooth operation and prevent the shutdowns, that caused undue delays to thousands of airlines passengers across Britain yesterday.
Returning to Nigeria, where we have just five international airports – Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, and Enugu (which is currently uncertain), there is an opportunity for the numerous agencies that congest the airports to learn a lesson from the failures of Border-Crossing databases in other countries, especially the recent experience in Britain. It is time for them to proactively consider implementing AI and other digital technologies to improve passenger handling and security at both international and domestic airports, in order to make the travel experience more pleasant for all.
In conclusion, the management of the company that manages the Border Crossing equipment and databases, should as a matter of urgency, ensure the adoption and the use of AI technologies across all the airports in the country so as to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidence that occurred at the airports. The deployment of AI could have played a crucial role in managing and mitigating database shutdowns, enhancing system resilience, and maintaining operational continuity in critical security infrastructures like the ‘Border Crossing’ database.
I hope a lesson has been learned from this experience and should make companies and government departments of countries across the world which handle large, critical and sensitive databases to be proactive in prevention of such breakdowns. Though it is not yet clear what the details that led to the crash of the Border Crossing databases, it is essential that AI systems, if not yet put in place, should be considered urgently.
NB: Sonny Iroche writes from Artificial Intelligence Department of the Saïd Business School. University of Oxford.
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sonnyiroche
