Here in New Zealand one of the two major supermarket chains has introduced digital recognition technology to track shoppers and combat shoplifting, which is a major cost to them. Recently a relative of mine went to one of their outlets and was noting prices of various products in a notebook in order to compare with the prices at the competing chain (yes we have a quasi duopoly in grocery supermarkets). He like me is budget conscious and likes to take advantage of the specials they sometimes have- but on this day this chain had no decent offers so he walked out of the store having purchased nothing. On entering the exit area he was challenged by a store security agent aggressively who alleged he had shoplifted and demanding to see the contents of his backpack. He was shocked as you would be but responded to the agent 'ok sure have a look, I have stolen nothing'- at which point the agent took a cursory look through his backpack and walked off muttering further threats and that he would be watching him. No apology for wrongful accusation. This prompted us to speculate that AI could be being used to study shoppers behaviour and alert security staff to anyone behaving outside the norms- not a lot of people after all will go to a supermarket and buy nothing after spending time looking closely at the prices...and wearing a backpack must also be a risk factor. He also explained he changed his hat while in the shop due to it getting warmer in there than outside- another potential trigger to alert an AI monitor! So basically AI will perhaps target those with behaviour patterns outside the norms. Everyone must conform or risk be targeted. Mind you that approach has existed a lot longer than AI...but AI certainly might intensify its focus and coverage.
Here in New Zealand one of the two major supermarket chains has introduced digital recognition technology to track shoppers and combat shoplifting, which is a major cost to them.
Recently a relative of mine went to one of their outlets and was noting prices of various products in a notebook in order to compare with the prices at the competing chain (yes we have a quasi duopoly in grocery supermarkets).
He like me is budget conscious and likes to take advantage of the specials they sometimes have- but on this day this chain had no decent offers so he walked out of the store having purchased nothing.
On entering the exit area he was challenged by a store security agent aggressively who alleged he had shoplifted and demanding to see the contents of his backpack.
He was shocked as you would be but responded to the agent 'ok sure have a look, I have stolen nothing'- at which point the agent took a cursory look through his backpack and walked off muttering further threats and that he would be watching him. No apology for wrongful accusation.
This prompted us to speculate that AI could be being used to study shoppers behaviour and alert security staff to anyone behaving outside the norms- not a lot of people after all will go to a supermarket and buy nothing after spending time looking closely at the prices...and wearing a backpack must also be a risk factor. He also explained he changed his hat while in the shop due to it getting warmer in there than outside- another potential trigger to alert an AI monitor!
So basically AI will perhaps target those with behaviour patterns outside the norms.
Everyone must conform or risk be targeted.
Mind you that approach has existed a lot longer than AI...but AI certainly might intensify its focus and coverage.