Artificial Intelligence is a thought provoking new technology that can be used by and for the creative community…and the criminal community.
The Hollywood writers strike has continued on for over three months, and for most Americans our reactions had been…who cares? Now the issues are the usual ones for any strike, money. Specifically, residuals from streaming, insurance cost, number of writers on a network television show, and script fees.
All understandable concerns. But the rising issue thanks to upcoming technology is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in film production. It can also be an issue in law enforcement.
I recently heard Samuel L Jackson put a clause in his latest contracts that his image cannot be used in future works without his permission. Specifically, “Jackson made a change in his contracts, forbidding studios to use his image ‘in perpetuity.’” Can’t argue with that, he makes his money with this image and acting, or as Charlton Heston’s son said, “Pretending to be other people.”
I thought of the use of AI technology after seeing a video of a this Driving While Intoxicated arrest in Florida recently. The handing of the suspect was very well done. The officers had the reasonable suspicion to initiate the traffic stop (driving the wrong way on a one-way street) on the recording. It also documented securing of the car to prevent the driver from leaving and perhaps injuring others, and the reasonable force used in taking the her into custody.
I’ve written before on my first time testifying in district court in a DWI (2001 (?)), where it took the jury twenty minutes to convict the defendant. I asked the assistance district attorney afterwards if there were anything that really convinced the jury, and he said, “The intoxilyzer station video. Twelve jurors looked at that video and said, ‘Looks like a drunk, sounds like a drunk, acts like a drunk, that’s a drunk.’” Couldn’t have asked for more.
Fast forward from the analog years to the digital era, we have more and more video showing more and more points of view. Now having to review multiple videos from one scene (Body worn camera (BWC), Vehicle camera (VC), etc.) is time consuming, but more often than not, clears the officer. A review from the Atlanta Police Department found in two out of three cases, the video exonerates the cop.
But back to the video we’ve just seen. If a MP4 file can be changed by an operator and a computer, what’s stopping a person (or group) from taking a record and changing it to show a false narrative. Then it can be put out as “unreleased police video showing ‘what really happened.’” Translation, a bold face lie.
Crazed idea? Look at recent police actions. The Darren Wilson-Michael Brown incident is a good example. A question I’ve asked for years is, “Where’s the video?” of this shooting. Over 100 people on the street, there is a disturbance, and not one person is recording it. Forgive me if I take that with a brick of salt.
But with today’s technology, can someone make a video showing a false version of events? Absolutely. The fact someone will show the video as a fake is irrelevant as tens of thousands rent-a-mob members from terrorist groups like BLM are destroying property and killing people.
How about the shooting of Adam Toledo by Chicago Police Officer Eric Stillman. Officer responded to a report of shootings the area. Reviewing the video, at 2:38:39 (Position 1:25 on the video) Toledo’s right hand has a gun. At 2:38.40 Officer Stillman fires as Toledo is raising his now empty hands. Unfortunately Toledo passed away at the scene.
Without question, a difficult split-second decision for the officer to make, something he will live with for his life. However, the race industry is fully deployed, the lawsuit has been filed, the usual suspects are calling the cops racists (but not asking why the kid was out at 2:38 in the morning shooting a gun).
Look at the video again. The gun is visible for less than a second before Toledo pitches it and raises his arms. How difficult would it be to erase that portion of the video, release it on YouTube or other social media, and begin the lie that Officer Stillman shot an unarmed young man? How soon after that will the domestic terrorist groups be burning down American cities again?
Crazy idea? How much damage was caused by BLM etc., after the lie of “Hands Up! Don’t Shoot!” was put out? According to one study, approximately 26 million dollars in direct cost. That is not counting the loss from destroyed businesses that will not reopen, lower sales from the businesses that did reopen, the weakening of the relationship between law enforcement and these communities, etc.
Just remember, the Community Organizer in Chief at the time of Ferguson absorbed one thing in college from his mentor, Saul Alinsky, “The despair is there; now it’s up to us to go in and rub raw the sores of discontent, galvanize them for radical social change.” Anything to keep people riled up.
Like all technology, Artificial Intelligence is a two-edged sword. However, law enforcement must be ready for its use by criminals, radicals or others to instigate crime, rampaging, civil-discord, etc. You can assume the crooks and extremists are already started on it. Remember the saying (attributed to many great men like Churchill and Twain). “A Lie Is Halfway Round the World Before the Truth Has Got Its Boots On”
Michael A. Thiac is a retired Army intelligence officer, with over 23 years experience, including serving in the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the Middle East. He is also a retired police patrol sergeant, with over 22 years’ service, and over ten year’s experience in field training of newly assigned officers. He has been published at The American Thinker, PoliceOne.com, and on his personal blog, A Cop’s Watch.
Opinions expressed are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of current or former employers
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