The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) of New York is investigating the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) systems aimed at the “predictive prevention” of crimes and hazardous activities occurring on subway platforms.
MTA’s chief security officer, Michael Kemper, disclosed that the agency is “studying and piloting technology like AI to sense potential trouble or problematic behavior on our subway platforms.”
Kemper elaborated during a recent MTA safety committee meeting that if an individual is acting irrationally, this system could trigger an alert, prompting a response from security personnel or the police department. He highlighted that this proactive approach could lead to police intervention occurring “before waiting for something to happen.”
“AI is the future,” Kemper stated, mentioning that the MTA is currently collaborating with technology firms to determine the best applications for the subway system. Specific details regarding associated companies, implementation methods, and the types of behaviors that AI-enabled cameras will target were not disclosed.
MTA spokesperson Aaron Donovan confirmed to Gothamist that the proposed system would not utilize facial recognition technology. “The technology being explored by the MTA is designed to identify behaviors, not people,” he clarified.
This initiative marks a continuation of the MTA’s previous ventures into AI, as it was reported in 2023 that the authority had adopted AI-powered surveillance solutions to monitor fare evasion on the subway, analyzing patterns regarding the timing and locations of such incidents.
