AI-powered police body cameras in Edmonton test real-time facial recognition on ‘high risk’ watch list

Summary

Police in Edmonton, Canada have begun piloting AI-equipped body cameras that run real-time facial recognition against a watch list of about 7,000 people flagged as violent or high‑risk, using technology supplied by Axon. The Associated Press–reported trial, reprinted by outlets in North America and beyond, has triggered fresh concern from civil liberties experts and even a former Axon AI ethics board chair, who warn that deploying facial recognition on body cams without extensive public debate, testing and transparency could entrench bias and mass surveillance despite existing bans or limits in parts of Europe and U.S. cities.