If you thought that CCTV cameras tracking your every move in public was bad enough, you’re going to just love AISight (pronounced “eyesight” of course). The invention of a Houston, Texas based company called BRS Labs (which stands for Behavioral Recognition Systems) is headed by former secret service special agent John Frazzini, and this Orwellian surveillance platform brings artificial intelligence to all of those creepy cameras that have been installed everywhere around you.
Apparently, this system is currently being installed in Boston, and has already been implemented in Chicago and Washington. In the event you live in these cities, I bet you’ve never heard of AISight, and more importantly, I bet there’s been little to no public debate.
The most disturbing part about this platform is that this artificial intelligence defines what is “normal” behavior and anything that falls outside of that narrow band can be flagged for “pre crime” potential. Ultimately, if these things are allowed to proliferate, it will condition humans to behave like zombie automatons fearful that anything interesting or creative might be viewed as criminal.
The NYPD recently engaged in such behavior when it arrested a street artist unlawfully. Now imagine if a computer could do the work the work without human involvement.
The entire sad incident was caught on video. See below:
The “War on Street Artists” – Puppeteer Unlawfully Arrested and Harassed in NYC Subway
For more details on AISight, we turn to ITProPortal:
Imagine a major city completely covered by a video surveillance system designed to monitor the every move of its citizens. Now imagine that the system is run by a fast-learning machine intelligence, that’s designed to spot crimes before they even happen. No, this isn’t the dystopian dream of a cyber-punk science fiction author, or the writers of TV show “Person of Interest”. This is Boston, on the US East Coast, and it could soon be many more cities around the world.
Behavioral Recognition Systems, Inc. (BRS Labs) is a software development company based out of a nondescript office block in Houston Texas, with the motto: “New World. New security.”
BRS Labs’ AISight is different because it doesn’t rely on a human programmer to tell it what behaviour is suspicious. It learns that all by itself.
The system enables a machine to monitor is environment, and build up a detailed profile of what can be considered “normal” behaviour. The AI can then determine what kind of behavior is abnormal, without human pre-programing.
Just what the world needs.
Oh, but wait, it gets even better…
What’s more, AISight permanently learns and registers when changes in normal behavior occur, so no ongoing programing is required from human operators. In order to do this, it employs a technology known as “artificial neural networks”, which mimics the function of the human brain.
What’s more, BRS Labs’ system is extremely easy to implement even across huge, disparate networks of outdated camera equipment. The company claims that it needs maximum of only a few days for the complete hardware and software installation.
So fast the public won’t have a chance for public debate!
After that, the system sets about “autonomously building an ever-changing knowledge base of activity seen through every camera on your video network.”
The software is already in place in other cities around the United States, such as Chicago and Washington.
“Our system will figure out things you never thought of looking for,” said Wesley Cobb, BRS’ chief science officer. “You never thought to look for a car driving backwards up the entrance of a parking garage, for example. Our system will find that and alert on it, because it’s different from what it usually sees. It’s taught itself what to look for.”
How about laugher, is that banned yet? How about thinking?
The inevitable security concerns have already been raised. While BRS claims to be “concerned about the privacy rights of individuals everywhere,” it’s not hard to imagine a future where our every move is assessed, quantified and judged by ever-smarter generations of artificial intelligence.
There’s one security camera for every 11 people in the UK, and it has been reported that the average British citizen is recorded on camera over 300 times every day.
Have fun serfs.
Now check out the promotional video. How completely creepy is the voice on it…
Full article here.
In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
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Wear a Hitler mustache or long hair up to your knees. It will jam their systems to high heaven. Moon them.
Laser lights should do the trick – at least for a few minutes – red in color I believe is the best to whack the CCD’s.
Green is just fine but you need a stand to hold them still.
This is aresome. You guys don’t get it! I’d rather a computer watch me than a human with his emotional, intellectual issues. I’d feel safe with eyesight watching me and go about my business. If I do something I shouldn’t I shouldn’t be in public. Ask the dude that dropped the rice cooker in the streets of Boston last week what he thinks about this system. I’m sure he hates it. That’s why we should love it. Boston Stong!!
Wow, there is so much I disagree with your comment it is hard to know where to begin. First off, why should normal innocent people not be able to go about there business without being watched? For instance, if you are waiting on the street for someone who is late, pacing back and forth and appearing slightly (or very) pissed off, should you be ‘flagged’ as exhibiting unusual behaviour? Should police then be dispatched to your location?
You don’t think a learning AI could make mistakes compared to a person? Machines will always lack one thing that some people have – compassionate wisdom.
Who gets to decide what you ‘should do’ in public? Is there no room for creativity, for difference? Do you want a world of automatons – so afraid of being unique? Say goodbye to all forms of creative endeavor.
Finally, your display of pride in your city is embarassing and purile at best, and dangerous and despicable at worst. Are you really ‘bought in’ to a city? Are your responsible for it? How much say do you have in what goes on in it? Are you personally invested so that you are willing to accept personal responsibility for whatever happens there – good or bad? Do you claim to have the wisdom to decide and enforce what is right for everyone in your city? Hubris.