Researchers build tools to counter AI’s privacy threat

Creating and training artificial intelligence (AI) has become easier than ever, raising questions on its regulation and what it could mean for online privacy. As AI recognition systems become more commonplace, some researchers fear the technology could lead us down a dystopian Big Brother-like rabbit hole.

Cheaper hardware, shorter training times courtesy research advances and easy access to photos on social media have made it possible for anyone with a decent computer and coding knowledge to develop AI-based facial recognition software. Although AI could help in making our daily lives more efficient and convenient, it comes at the cost of privacy.