Semantics 21, the UK-based pioneer of AI-driven digital forensics and safeguarding technology, proudly announces that Founder and CEO Dr Liam Owens has been awarded the Most Significant Contribution to the Global Response to Online Child Sexual Abuse accolade at the IPPPRI 2025 Excellence in Online Protection Awards, presented by Brandon Epstein from Magnet Forensics, Sam Lundrigan and Simon Bailey from IPPPRI, and Caroline Barnett from SAS.
In an industry where every second counts and the stakes are human lives, Dr Owens has become a recognised global leader in the protection of children from online and digital harm. His innovative vision and compassionate leadership have redefined what’s possible in digital investigations.
A Legacy of Purpose and Innovation
Dr Owens established Semantics 21 with a mission to empower frontline investigators to locate, identify, and rescue victims of child sexual abuse faster and with greater accuracy. His flagship platform, S21 LASERi-X , is acknowledged as one of the most advanced AI-powered forensic tools globally, used by thousands of government and law enforcement agencies. It has dramatically reduced case times and significantly increased the number of actionable leads—directly saving lives.
Additionally, under Dr Owens’ leadership, Semantics 21 created the Global Alliance Database, the world’s largest law enforcement child protection intelligence system, containing over 3 billion indexed records. The platform enables real-time international cooperation, secure intelligence sharing, and the automatic detection and removal of harmful content. Incredibly, it is provided entirely free to vetted law enforcement teams, demonstrating Semantics 21’s unwavering commitment to global child safeguarding.
Transforming Investigator Wellbeing
A ground-breaking advocate for investigator mental health, Dr Owens made Semantics 21 the first company to integrate live wellbeing monitoring into digital forensic software. This innovation provides real-time alerts on emotional strain and workload fatigue, enabling managers to protect the wellbeing of investigators dealing with harrowing material.
Recognised Leadership and Values
Semantics 21 is the only company to have received both The Queen’s Award for Innovation and The King’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation. Beyond technical achievement, Dr Owens’ leadership has been defined by moral conviction: offering over £700,000 worth of licences free to underfunded child protection units and prioritising public safety and accessibility over profit.
The nomination praised Dr Owens as:
“A visionary, a leader, and a force for good… His work continues to set the benchmark for what is possible when cutting-edge technology meets uncompromising purpose.”
“This award belongs to my team and the global community of investigators and partners we serve,” said Dr Liam Owens. “At Semantics 21, we pride ourselves in being streamlined, but we are still mighty. Every child rescued makes every challenge worthwhile. Our message remains clear: Every Victim Matters.”
Why People Are Turning to Dr Liam Owens & Semantics 21
The team at Semantics 21 are becoming renowned for industry world-first and global leadership. Here are just a few of their achievements in the industry of digital forensics:
AI Innovation in Digital Forensics
1. First Digital Forensics Company to Deploy AI for CSAM Detection
Pioneered the use of artificial intelligence to automatically detect child sexual abuse material in forensic workflows.
2. First AI Platform Built Specifically for CSAM Victim Identification
Designed from the ground up with law enforcement to prioritise victim-first workflows, not a generic AI repurposed for forensics.
3. First to Offer Integrated Object, Scene, Action, and Location Detection Offline
Includes over 70,000+ object types from weapons and vehicles to nudity, violence, and age estimation – all analysed within one offline tool.
4. First Multi-Modal AI Engine for Media Review
Combines image, video, audio, and text analysis into one seamless workflow for investigators.
5. First to Introduce AI Confidence Scoring for Investigative Triage
Empowers investigators to prioritise media review using system-generated confidence levels on key indicators.
AI for Public Safety and Investigation
6. First Scalable AI-Powered CCTV Review Tool Used in Riot Response
Adopted by UK forces to compress multi-year CCTV reviews into weeks.
7. First Automated School Badge Lookup System (UK, Ireland, Canada, Now USA)
Allows investigators to identify school affiliations from a uniform’s logo, even in complex media.
8. First AI-Based Location Prediction Tool for Victim and Suspect Location Identification
Uses scene cues to help determine likely geolocation without GPS data.
Wellbeing and Investigator Support
9. First and Only System to Track Investigator CSAM Exposure Levels
Provides real-time exposure data and a dedicated management portal for monitoring and safeguarding investigator wellbeing.
10. First to Introduce Wellbeing Feature to the Frontline Users
Enables users to reduce their exposure levels, set thresholds and decompress from reviewing harmful materials.
11. First AI Forensics Vendor to Offer WhatsApp-Style Investigator Support
Real-time bug reporting, feature requests, and help straight from frontline users.
Privacy-First AI Tools
12. First Offline AI Transcription & Translation Tool for Police Interviews
Used by national agencies to securely process sensitive recordings without internet access.
13. First Modular AI Engine Built Specifically for Law Enforcement and Military Use
Fully deployable offline, on-prem, or in secure hybrid environments, never reliant on public cloud APIs.
Global Intelligence & Trust
13. First and Only Secure Global Intelligence Database for CSAM and Terrorism Hash Sets
Secure, cross-border sharing of case intelligence, unmatched in scale and reach with over 3 billion LE records.
14. First Digital Forensics Company to Win Both the Queen’s Award and King’s Award for Innovation
Recognised for transformational impact in safeguarding, policing, and forensic innovation.
For more information on Semantics 21 and its life-changing technologies, visit:
