Police and government agencies would have to publicly declare when they are using artificial intelligence to fight crime, under proposals to safeguard the civil liberties of members of the public, which are being drawn up for Boris Johnson by a former head of MI5.

Lord Evans of Weardale, who is overseeing an official review of the use of AI in the public sector, said it was "troubling" that little is known about the increased use of AI by authorities, which are deploying automated software to recognise faces and help decide whether suspects should be bailed. Last week it emerged that the emergency services could in the future remotely deploy drones to monitor accidents or ongoing crimes.

Responding to fears that the use of AI could infringe the civil liberties of members of the public, Lord Evans said it was currently "very difficult" to find out where automated systems are being used by authorities.

In an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, Lord Evans, who chairs Whitehall's Committee on Standards in Public Life, said the use of AI by public bodies should be "visible and declared" where it could infringe on the civil liberties of members of the public.

The crossbench peer, who was director general of MI5 until 2013, also called for the introduction of a "clear set of guidance" on the use of AI. He warned that current automated systems which help authorities to make decisions affecting members of the public can contain inadvertent prejudices against particular groups.

Lord Evans's committee has been carrying out a review of the issue since March, and is due to submit its final report to the Prime Minister in February.

In a letter to Lord Evans dated October 7, Mr Johnson said he "completely agreed" that "we need to ensure standards are upheld as AI technology is increasingly used and procured across the public sector." He said he looked forward "to reading the findings of your review."