PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia City Council committee is holding a first-of-its-kind hearing Wednesday on how the city uses artificial intelligence and how it may use it in the future.
Councilmember Rue Landau, who chairs the Committee on Technology and Information Services, called for the hearing as the city’s use of AI has grown.
“We know there are ways that SEPTA is using AI to detect cars that are parked in bus lanes. The Streets Department is using it to see potholes and other obstructions in the street. But there’s other ways in which we know the city is using AI, and for that to come out in the public and to see what the plan is going forward,” she said.
Many people are embracing AI but also have legitimate fears. Landau said transparency about the city’s current and planned uses is the best way to combat mistrust of the technology.
“There have been allegations of racial discrimination used in AI. There’s fear of cybersecurity and data privacy and sharing data,” she said. “The technology sector moves much faster than the public sector, and we have to make sure that Philadelphia has a plan going forward on how to optimize the ways in which we use it for all of the opportunities that are out there, but also safeguard against the misuses that can happen.”
Wednesday’s hearing will be held at PhillyCAM, a nonprofit media center at Seventh and Ranstead streets.