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Date: March 29, 2024

New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams has proposed a plan to use AI technology to monitor public places like Subways for weapons.

New York City subways are long due for a technology makeover, which might be completed this year. According to a CBS news report, the Mayor of New York City is seeking the best technologies to monitor and identify people carrying weapons in public places. This proposal arose as a response to the recent surge in Subway crimes like the Nostrand Avenue shooting incident.

The city council is seeking the best artificial intelligence technology that can be immediately deployed in selected public spaces like Subway. Mayor Eric Adams aims to utilize the power of AI to put the New York subway under weapon surveillance in under 90 days. But the proposal is already facing a backlash from both pro-gun and anti-gun policy citizens. 

Pro-gun citizens have raised concerns about their safety rights being violated due to weapon detection tools in public. American Citizens have the right to carry arms under a valid license. Due to the new security system, the legally gun-carrying public will have to face unnecessary delays or interrogation at the security check. The inconvenience may compel them to opt for other daily commute options.

On the other hand, the anti-gun rule pushers have raised concerns over the accuracy of the detection systems. For instance, imagine an iPad box or an electric lighter shaped like a gun carried by a person traveling on the Subway. If the system raises alarm over such products, almost 80% of the general public will be prone to unwanted delays and false checkups. However, Mayor Eric Adams is committed to the new method until it gathers enough data to take further action.

“We'll be publishing the impact and use policy for electromagnetic weapons detection systems here in New York City,” Adams said. “This kicks off the 90-day waiting period before this type of technology can be tested and used in our city to help keep New Yorkers safe.”

The general notion around this new security system powered by AI is that it is invading people's privacy in public areas. The Mayor has assured that the electromagnetic scanners will be backed by a powerful AI system that will restrict the purpose of scanning to harmful weapons only. A journalist's backpack triggered an alert because it resembled a weapon, which gave fire to the already abundant skepticism.
 

By Arpit Dubey

Arpit is a dreamer, wanderer, and a tech nerd who loves to jot down tech musings and updates. With a logician mind, he is always chasing sunrises and tech advancements while secretly preparing for the robot uprising.