3) Social Surveillance With AI Technology

In addition to its more existential threat, Ford is not only concerned about the existential threat posed by AI, but also about how it can negatively impact privacy and security. China’s use of facial recognition technology in various settings is a prominent example of this issue. Not only does it allow for tracking a person’s movements, but it also enables the gathering of extensive data that can be used to monitor a person’s activities, relationships, and political views.

The adoption of predictive policing algorithms by US police departments is another example. These algorithms tend to be influenced by arrest rates, which disproportionately impact Black communities. As a result, police departments tend to focus more on these communities, leading to over-policing and raising concerns about the use of AI as an authoritarian weapon, even in self-proclaimed democracies.

According to Ford, authoritarian regimes are already using AI, and the question is to what extent it will penetrate Western countries and democracies, and what measures will be taken to regulate its use