Home AI-powered CCTV cameras for Olympics could be coming to a city near you

AI-powered CCTV cameras for Olympics could be coming to a city near you

TLDR

  • AI-powered CCTV cameras installed for the 2024 Paris Olympics will remain until March 2025.
  • The cameras analyze live footage for security purposes, such as detecting crowd movements.
  • The prolonged use of AI surveillance has sparked controversy and concerns over privacy.

While the 2024 Paris Olympics has now come to an end, taking with it a slew of tourists and athletes, the beefed-up surveillance will remain for a little while longer.

Ahead of the games, France added AI-powered CCTV cameras across the capital, initially as a temporary measure, but the experiment is set to continue until March 2025.

These cameras were used to analyze live images to identify predefined movements which would then send an alert to operators who could take action.

The algorithm-driven cameras were used for the detection of forgotten luggage, population density, and crowd movements.

The French publication Le Monde reported that some “200 cameras in the Paris and Ile-de-France area” benefitted from artificial intelligence.

They were told by the Paris Police Prefecture, who also said the national train service operator SNCP had plans to deploy these technologies on a reduced camera perimeter in 11 stations in the region.

Police authorities said: “As for RATP, which operates the city’s public transport systems, no fewer than 46 metro and RER stations will have their video surveillance images analyzed by artificial intelligence for the duration of the Games, with a maximum of 300 cameras.”

French AI-powered CCTV cameras have caused controversy

A legal framework for testing the technology was enforced in May 2023 by the French parliament which introduced an ad-hoc law to regulate the use of AI-powered cameras on an experimental basis during some large events until the end of March 2025.

While the security crackdown has become a necessary step ahead of major events, not everyone is happy with the prolonged use of AI surveillance.

Félix Tréguer, who is a member of the French advocacy group La Quadrature du Net, spoke to TechRadar: “The ongoing experiments are the first step towards the legalization of these technologies…

“Each time, those large events are used as a way to legitimize controversial surveillance practices that then stay in the long run. In that respect, France is no exception.”

Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram

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Sophie Atkinson
Tech Journalist

Sophie Atkinson is a UK-based journalist and content writer, as well as a founder of a content agency which focuses on storytelling through social media marketing. She kicked off her career with a Print Futures Award which champions young talent working in print, paper and publishing. Heading straight into a regional newsroom, after graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in Journalism, Sophie started by working for Reach PLC. Now, with five years experience in journalism and many more in content marketing, Sophie works as a freelance writer and marketer. Her areas of specialty span a wide range, including technology, business,…

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