The Authoritarian Risks of AI Surveillance

The Authoritarian Risks of AI Surveillance | Lawfare
 


 



 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 Matthew Tokson
 
 


 
 
 
 
 
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 @mtokson.bsky.social 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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 Concerns about authoritarianism loom large in American politics. Against this backdrop, another phenomenon may be pushing democracies toward authoritarianism: artificial intelligence (AI) law enforcement. AI surveillance and policing systems are currently used by authoritarian nations around the world. Evidence suggests that these systems are effective in suppressing political unrest and entrenching existing regimes. Concerningly, AI surveillance and policing systems have also become increasingly prevalent in cities across the United States.

 As I explain in a new article , AI law enforcement tends to undermine democratic government, promote authoritarian drift, and entrench existing authoritarian regimes. AI-based systems can reduce structural checks on executive authority and concentrate power among fewer and fewer people. In the wrong hands, they can help authorities detect subversive behavior and discourage or punish dissent, while enabling corruption, selective enforcement, and other abuses. These effects are already visible in today’s relatively primitive AI systems, and they’ll become increasingly dangerous to democracy as AI technology improves.

 AI Law Enforcement from China to the U.S. 

 To get a sense of the capabilities of AI law enforcement, look to present-day China. Analysts estimate that over half of the world’s surveillance cameras are in China, and many of those cameras use AI facial recognition. AI algorithms identify people and track their movements, allowing the government to monitor their activities and their meetings with others. Iris scans act as a visual fingerprint of people, even those wearing masks. Spy drones fly above China’s cities, recording activities in ever-sharper detail. AI analytics can spot unlawful or anomalous actions, even littering. In recent years, Chinese authorities have installed facial recognition cameras inside residential buildings, hotels, and even karaoke bars. The goal of installing these systems is, according to a Fujian province police department, “controlling and managing people.”

 Increasingly, AI is used not just for surveillance but also for policing. Semi-autonomous AI police robots operate without human input a majority of the time. In China, these police robots patrol public places and use facial recognition to scan for people wanted by law enforcement. When such a person is detected, the robot begins following them until the police arrive. Other robots knock suspects over or fire a “net gun” to immobilize them.

 These AI systems also facilitate the overt oppression of minority groups. Xinjiang province is the home of the Uyghurs, 

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