Alvi Choudhury is a 26-year-old Bangladeshi-origin software engineer from Southampton, UK, who gained international attention in February 2026 after being wrongfully arrested for a burglary in Milton Keynes, 100 miles away from his home. The arrest was triggered by AI facial recognition software that falsely matched his image to CCTV footage of the suspect. Despite significant physical differences—Choudhury is older, has a beard, and has darker skin and different facial features than the suspect—the algorithm led police to detain him for over 10 hours.

The incident occurred because a mugshot from a previous wrongful arrest in 2021 (when he was assaulted and not charged) remained in the Police National Database. The AI system used by Thames Valley Police flagged this image, leading to the mistaken identification. Choudhury has since spoken publicly on Good Morning Britain and is suing both Thames Valley Police and Hampshire Constabulary for damages, citing distress, loss of income, and the public humiliation of being arrested in front of neighbors.

Thames Valley Police acknowledged the error but stated the arrest was based on a human visual assessment and not racial profiling. However, multiple reports and experts highlight inherent racial bias in the AI system, with studies showing Asian faces are 100 times more likely to be misidentified than white faces. The case has sparked widespread concern over the use of retrospective facial recognition technology in policing and the need for stronger legal and ethical safeguards.