Spies in the sky: how worried should we be about the arrival of AI-enabled smart lamp-posts?
Summary
A company in Warwickshire has installed new lamp-posts called iLamps that use solar power and artificial intelligence (AI) to recognize faces and vehicle number plates. These smart lamp-posts could help find missing people and fight crime, but some worry they could lead to too much surveillance and privacy issues.Key Facts
- The iLamps are solar-powered street lights with built-in AI technology.
- They can recognize faces and vehicle number plates automatically.
- The company behind them, Conflow Power Group (CPG), says the lamps can also serve as small data centers.
- CPG signed a deal to provide 50,000 iLamps to Katsina state in Nigeria.
- Some people worry these lamp-posts could be used for constant surveillance, raising privacy concerns.
- Local residents in Warwickshire mostly accept camera surveillance as normal.
- Officials have not fully explained how the lamps’ advanced AI features are used in the UK.
- The iLamps aim to assist authorities with missing person cases and crime prevention, with access controlled by relevant authorities.
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