Survey: Majority of video surveillance users unconcerned about potential AI bias

Sept. 15, 2021
New study from Pro-Vigil reveals industry perceptions surrounding the ethics of video analytics

According to the results of recent study conducted by remote video monitoring provider Pro-Vigil, a majority of organizations polled reported being more concerned about the ability of AI-powered video surveillance systems to deter crime rather than if the analytics technology they are using has any inherent bias.

The survey, which questioned 100 video surveillance users across a variety of commercial vertical markets, also found that over one-third of respondents (37%) wouldn’t do anything about the analytic algorithms they are leveraging if they were found to be unethical so long as they do a good job of deterring crime.

Additionally, the survey also found that:

  • 62% of respondents said they either don’t care or aren’t sure if they care if their AI is biased. 
  • Most survey respondents understood whether or not their video surveillance systems were using AI. Most (64%) indicated they weren’t using AI, while 21% said they were using AI. The rest were unsure.
  • 26% indicated there is a person in their organization who is responsible for understanding how AI is used. The rest either didn’t know or said there was no such person.
  • Nearly 90% said they would not know how to check to see if their AI video surveillance system was biased.

For more information or to download a copy of the full report, “Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Video Surveillance,” click here