New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it’s exploring using AI methods for “predictive prevention” of crime and harmful conduct on the town’s subway platforms.
MTA chief safety officer Michael Kemper mentioned that the company is “learning and piloting know-how like AI to sense potential bother or problematic conduct on our subway platforms.”
“If somebody is performing out, irrational… it may doubtlessly set off an alert that may set off a response from both safety and/or the police division,” he defined throughout an MTA security committee assembly Monday, emphasizing that the police response may come “earlier than ready for one thing to occur.”
“AI is the longer term,” he added, noting that the MTA is “working with tech corporations actually proper now” to research “what would work within the subway system.” Kemper didn’t element which corporations the MTA is working with, how AI will likely be applied, or precisely what kind of behaviour the AI-enabled cameras will likely be anticipated to detect.
Nevertheless, MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan confirmed to The Gothamist that the brand new system received’t depend on facial recognition. “The know-how being explored by the MTA is designed to establish behaviors, not folks,” Donovan mentioned.
This isn’t the primary time the MTA has applied AI. In 2023 it disclosed that it was utilizing AI-powered surveillance software program to monitor fare evaders on the subway, monitoring when, the place, and the way most fare evasion takes place.
