Artificial Intelligence Wrongly Accuses an African-American of Theft in the United States

Arrested on November 25, while driving in the suburbs of Atlanta (Georgia), Randal Reid probably did not anticipate the turn this case was going to take. And for good reason, this 29-year-old African American was arrested and then provisionally detained for six days for nothing. Indeed, the man was apprehended for thefts he had never committed, and in states where he had not visited. He was released from prison on December 1.

“Imagine living your life and somewhere far away you’re told you’ve committed a crime. And you know you’ve never been there,” said Randal Reid au New York Times. If such a mistake was made, it is because of the use of artificial intelligence, Clearview AI, by the local police. If no mention of this tool appears in the official report, a source close to the file was able to confirm it to the American daily, which returns at length to this police error. To help with its investigations, the sheriff’s office signed a contract with Clearview AI in 2019, for $25,000 per year.