2024 Paris Olympics Poised To Trial AI Surveillance Cameras During The Games

The rise of artificial intelligence has seemed to coincide with one of the greatest sporting events, the Olympics.
 
The 2024 Paris Olympics are just over a year away, and French lawmakers are about to head into a hearing to discuss whether AI surveillance should keep watch over the city.
 
The move will make the country the first European Union to legalize using such technology, albeit only for the duration of the games. As the world descends upon Paris for the event, authorities are worried there might be an influx of emergencies and accidents bound to happen.
 
One of the reasons the government may implement such systems is to help prevent tragedies such as the fatal stampede that occurred during Halloween last year in South Korea that killed 160 people.
 
The operation is not meant to identify and single out specific individuals. Its sole intention is to assess such situations and alert authorities to a problem before it worsens. The final decision on the right course of action will then boil down to human operators.
 
According to the Associated Press, the French authorities insist that no facial recognition will be involved. “It’s not about recognizing ‘Mr X’ in a crowd, it’s about recognizing situations,” Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin commented during last week’s National Assembly. 
 
The bill has received approval with a landslide of 245 votes to 28 in its favor. However, it is up for further review before it is fully implemented. 
 
 
 
[via TechTimes and Associated Press, Photo 266998497 © Valerio Rosati | Dreamstime.com]