Microsoft’s managed business solution based on OpenAI’s technology, Azure OpenAI Service, has strengthened its opposition to relational AI being used by U.S. police departments for facial recognition.
According to TechCrunch, Microsoft made it abundantly clear in a new release that it is against the law for police departments to use integrations with Azure OpenAI Service for facial identification purposes. This restriction includes both current and potential future OpenAI image-analyzing designs.
The updated policy furthermore addresses law enforcement agencies worldwide, especially banning the use of “real- time physical recognition technology” on wireless cameras, such as body cameras and dashcams, to identify individuals in uncontrolled environments.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 06: ( EDITORS NOTE: Images contains profanity. ) A protester poses for NYPD officials on May 6, 2023, outside the Broadway-Landeford station in New York City during the” Justice for Jordan Neely” demonstration.  , ( Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images )
Following Axon’s announcement of a innovative product that synthesizes music from body cameras using OpenAI’s GPT- 4 generative text model, these changes are made. The use of generative AI models to invent facts ( known as hallucinations ) and the creation of racial biases from training data were all immediately raised by critics. Given the disproportionately high number of people of color stopped by police, according to critics, this is especially concerning given the disparate statistics.
The move contrasts with Microsoft and OpenAI’s new approach to AI-related law enforcement and security contracts, despite the uncertainty as to whether Axon was using GPT-4 through the Azure OpenAI Service or whether the updated plan was a strong reaction to their product launch.
The new words, but, do leave some room for interpretation. The total ban on Azure OpenAI Service use applies just to U. S. officers, no foreign law enforcement. Also, it does not cover cosmetic recognition performed with static cameras in managed environments, such as again offices, although any use of visual recognition by U. S. police is strictly prohibited.
This position is in line with recent government engagements by Microsoft and OpenAI. In January, reports revealed that OpenAI is collaborating with the Pentagon on various projects, including cybersecurity capabilities, marking a shift from the startup’s previous ban on providing AI to militaries. Meanwhile, Microsoft has proposed using OpenAI’s image generation tool, DALL- E, to assist the Department of Defense in developing software for military operations.
Read more here at TechCrunch.
For Breitbart News, Lucas Nolan reports on issues involving free speech and online censorship.
