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- Amazon-Powered AI Cameras Used to Detect Emotions of Unwitting UK Train Passengers
Amazon-Powered AI Cameras Used to Detect Emotions of Unwitting UK Train Passengers
AI trials at UK train stations involve emotion recognition and surveillance, raising privacy concerns.
Wojciech Bednarski
June 21, 2024
Over the past two years, thousands of train passengers in the UK have unknowingly been subjected to AI-powered facial recognition trials.
New documents reveal that Amazon software scanned faces at major stations like London’s Euston and Waterloo to predict age, gender, and emotions.
This technology, part of extensive AI trials overseen by Network Rail, aims to enhance safety by detecting trespassers, monitoring crowding, and identifying antisocial behavior.
AI surveillance could lead to job changes in security and monitoring roles, potentially requiring new skills in managing and interpreting AI data.
The trials utilized smart CCTV cameras and older models linked to cloud-based analysis. The initiative included wireless sensors for detecting slippery floors and overflowing bins. Despite the potential benefits, the use of AI to detect emotions is controversial. Critics argue the technology is unreliable and raises significant privacy issues. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office has also warned against emotion analysis, deeming it immature and potentially ineffective.
Documents obtained by Big Brother Watch highlight the lack of transparency and public consultation surrounding these trials. Privacy advocates express concerns about normalizing AI surveillance in public spaces without adequate discussion. While the trials did not use facial recognition to identify individuals, the implications of emotion detection and demographic analysis remain contentious.