AI in Law Enforcement, Healthcare, and Internet Access

#104 Tech Talk: AI in Law Enforcement, Healthcare, and Internet Access

Description:

First, we discuss Microsoft’s decision to ban U.S. police departments from using their enterprise AI tool for facial recognition, and what that means for law enforcement and ethical AI practices. Then, we explore the concerns of nurses as hospitals implement AI in healthcare systems and the impact It could have on patient care. Lastly, we break down the consequences of Congress allowing funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to run out, potentially leaving millions of households without affordable internet access.

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EPISODE INTRO

Cold Opening: N/A

Intro:

What’s going on tech lovers?! Welcome to another exciting Tech Talk episode on the LEO podcast, where we explore the world of technology and innovation in a bite-sized, informative, and fun way! I’m your host, Kevin Muñoz and in today’s episode, we’ll be diving into three stories that have been making headlines in the tech world.

In our first story, we discuss Microsoft’s decision to ban U.S. police departments from using their enterprise AI tool for facial recognition, and what that means for law enforcement and ethical AI practices.

Then, we explore the concerns of nurses as hospitals implement AI in healthcare systems and the impact it could have on patient care.

Finally, we break down the consequences of Congress allowing funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to run out, potentially leaving millions of households without affordable internet access.

Today is Monday, May 6th, and before we dive into today’s three tech stories, I want to give a quick shout-out to our fantastic supporters at patreon.com/latinamericaneo. If you want to unlock bonus content and help us keep the episodes coming, join our Palomitas community!

Don’t worry if you’re not a patron yet; you’re in for a treat with this episode. Packed with great content, just sit back, relax, and enjoy today’s show!

KEY POINTS OF EPISODE

Article #1:

For our first story, Microsoft has taken a stand and announced that they’re not allowing U.S. police departments to use their enterprise AI tool for facial recognition through Azure OpenAI Service. This is their platform that integrates OpenAI’s technology with their own services. The updated terms of service for Azure OpenAI Service explicitly say that it can’t be used for facial recognition by or for U.S. police departments.

This move follows concerns around AI’s potential issues, like hallucinations and racial biases. Imagine a scenario where AI could misinterpret someone or give incorrect information—that could lead to some serious problems, especially since AI can sometimes be more likely to misinterpret people of color.

Interestingly, while Microsoft is restricting the use of facial recognition tech in the U.S. for law enforcement, the ban doesn’t extend to international police departments. Also, it doesn’t cover facial recognition in controlled environments like a police department back office.

Another twist to the story—Axon, a company that makes tech and weapons products for law enforcement, recently launched a new tool using OpenAI’s GPT-4. This tool can summarize audio from body cameras, and while it might sound useful, there are concerns about the AI making things up or perpetuating biases.

It’s unclear whether Axon is using GPT-4 through Azure OpenAI Service, and if that’s what prompted Microsoft’s policy update. We’re still waiting for more information on that.

Overall, Microsoft’s decision ties in with their and OpenAI’s recent approaches to AI use in law enforcement and defense projects. They’ve also been working with the Pentagon and pitching OpenAI’s image generation tool for military purposes.

Article #2:

For our second story, nurses are raising the alarm about sloppy AI implementation in hospital systems. Recently, hundreds of nurses gathered in front of Kaiser Permanente to protest what they see as reckless use of AI in healthcare. Their big concern? AI systems just aren’t capable of showing empathy, which is a pretty crucial part of patient care.

Amy Grewal, a registered nurse, put it this way: “No computer, no AI can replace a human touch.” She’s got a point—AI can’t hold a patient’s hand or truly understand their pain or fear.

Now, automation in healthcare isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it can help lighten the load for healthcare workers who have been through a lot, especially during the pandemic. But there’s a catch: some for-profit hospital systems might see AI as an excuse to cut corners and reduce costs at the expense of patient care.

The nurses aren’t against technological advancements; they just don’t want algorithms replacing their expertise and the hands-on care they bring to patients. Kaiser Permanente, on the other hand, defends their use of AI, saying it’s part of providing high-quality, affordable healthcare.

The real issue here seems to be that healthcare giants are more focused on their financial bottom line than on their patients’ well-being. This focus on profits leads to cut corners and greater strain on healthcare workers, all while high-level executives still receive their hefty paychecks.

We all know AI has the potential to revolutionize imaging analysis and help streamline processes. But when it comes to healthcare, any implementation of AI has to be done carefully, with plenty of planning and consultation across all levels of the industry.

Let’s be real: American healthcare needs to get its act together when it comes to this kind of transformative tech. We’re talking about people’s lives here—no room for error!

That’s the latest on AI in healthcare.

Article #3:

For our third and final story of the day… the funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has run out.

This program has been helping over 23 million low-income households afford internet by covering $30 of their monthly internet bill. But now, because Congress hasn’t passed new funding, this support is drying up, and it’s going to hit a lot of people hard.

The ACP was designed to follow the Emergency Broadband Benefit program set up during the pandemic. It was supposed to continue helping families afford internet, but its funding depended on Congress, and now we’re at a standstill. Even though there’s bipartisan support for funding, the focus on other political issues has left the ACP in the lurch.

Now, the consequences of this loss of funding are serious. Research shows the loss of the ACP could take away over $20 billion in economic benefits annually from vulnerable communities. Many families will see their internet bills increase, and for some, it might mean canceling their internet service altogether.

Imagine the impact this could have on people. Sixty-five percent of ACP participants are worried about losing their jobs, and 75% fear losing access to essential healthcare services. For parents, 81% worry about their kids falling behind in school. It’s tough to imagine how these families will cope without the internet access they depend on.

For those living on Tribal lands, the impact could be even worse, with internet costs going up by $75 a month. These areas often have limited internet options and higher prices to begin with.

What’s next? Well, there are still some funds left for May, but they won’t be enough to cover the full benefit. After May, unless Congress passes a funding bill, there won’t be any more ACP payments.

There are several bills in both the House and the Senate aiming to fund the program, and they have bipartisan support. One idea is to make the ACP part of the Universal Service Fund, ensuring long-term funding like the Lifeline program, which has been supporting telephone and internet service for low-income households and schools.

All in all, Congress needs to act quickly to support the families relying on the ACP. Waiting too long will have serious consequences, even if the program eventually gets restored.

For now, there are other options like the Lifeline program or low-cost internet from some ISPs, but the clock is ticking, and hopefully, we’ll see some action from Congress soon.

Episode summary:

Closing Remarks:

And there you have it, tech enthusiasts! Another thrilling Tech Talk episode wrapped up.

As the tech landscape continues to evolve, we’ll be here to bring you the latest, the intriguing, and the downright mysterious. A big shout-out to our amazing supporters at patreon.com/latinamericaneo—your support keeps the episodes coming.

So, until next time, tech lovers, stay curious, stay tech-savvy, and keep riding the waves of innovation. I’m your host, Kevin Muñoz, signing off from the LEO podcast. Don’t forget to join our Palomitas community on Patreon for exclusive content, and we’ll catch you in the next episode of Tech Talk!