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Most Computer Vision Research Powers Surveillance, Study Finds

Obfuscating human subjects as ‘objects’ conceals the field’s surveillance focus, spurring urgent calls for regulatory scrutiny.

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Overview

  • A Nature study of over 19,000 papers and 23,000 patents found that 90% of computer-vision research and 86% of related patents involve imaging humans and their spaces.
  • Analysis shows a fivefold rise in surveillance-linked patents citing computer-vision papers from the 1990s to the 2010s, highlighting rapid growth in monitoring applications.
  • Researchers warn that referring to people as ‘objects’ masks the true purpose of many studies and normalizes pervasive surveillance.
  • Critics caution that AI-driven monitoring tools can entrench biases against minority groups and threaten privacy and democratic freedoms.
  • Nature editorials and experts are urging AI researchers and policymakers to adopt ethical standards and stronger oversight of surveillance technologies.