There’s little doubt that we are entering a new era when it comes to technology and the rise of artificial intelligence.
But it’s also somewhat unnerving, particularly where civil liberties are concerned. A recent development in Japan underscores this. Apparently, authorities over there are looking into a technology that uses artificial intelligence and security cameras to “predict” the behavior of the subjects they monitor. Touted as a solution to the rise in public violence, especially, as Nikkei highlights, in the aftermath of the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the tech is the stuff of science fiction that the National Police Agency in Japan plans on deploying for field testing in 2024.
In essence, the cameras and AI detect “unusual” movements in a crowd and improve their detection systems over time through algorithmic training. This detection ranges from possible weapons to intrusion into buildings as well as spotting someone that might be in a sensitive area. Nikkei further explains that the technology is particularly geared toward detecting “lone offenders” and will supplement traditional police surveillance and security methods.
Citing the rise of AI in security systems, Nikkei quotes chief analyst for the Tokyo-based Council for Public Policy Isao Itabashi who highlights this role, saying, “ It will also help to deploy police officers more efficiently, as they will have more means for vigilance.” The newspaper also discusses how similar systems could see use in the Paris Olympic games in 2024 and briefly discusses the rise of AI systems like this as we have done on this blog on multiple occasions.
Any thoughts you might have on cameras potentially equipped with predictive AI are welcome in the comments.
We have some other headlines you might like to read over in our photography news section.
