Las Vegas to Deploy First AI Surveillance System in Public Transit in the U.S. - 1

Photo by David Lusvardi on Unsplash

Las Vegas to Deploy First AI Surveillance System in Public Transit in the U.S.

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Justyn Newman Former Lead Cybersecurity Editor

The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada, including Las Vegas, will deploy an AI camera system to scan and detect weapons in public transportation.

According to CNBC , the new plan has been developed as a strategy to reduce violence and identify potential risks. The AI-linked cameras will scan passengers and will be installed on more than 400 buses.

The RTC is working with the American software company ZeroEyes on this project, part of a $33 million multi-year upgrade program.

“Time is of the essence; it gives us time to identify a firearm being brandished, so [authorities] can be notified and get to the scene and save lives,” Tom Atteberry, RTC’s director of safety and security operations, told CNBC.

According to a report released by the Department of Transportation in October last year, violence on public transportation across the U.S. has been increasing. Citizens’ concerns regarding safety in transit systems have peaked.

In that report, surveillance cameras were suggested. “Many agency representatives reported the use of surveillance cameras in stations, on vehicles, and in other areas (e.g., parking lots), and expressed that this can be particularly useful for maintaining awareness of what is happening on the system and responding to incidents,” states the document.

Brian Miller, the director of Purdue University Northwest, explained that on average it takes 12 minutes for the police to arrive at the location in danger after the first gunshot and trusts the new AI technology to be beneficial. “We have to reduce that, gunshot detectors and weapons scanners, these are all good technologies,” said Miller.

Neither the RTC nor the Purdue University Northwest mentioned any specific cases where AI-powered protection was required, but consider that the risk is imminent.

Stats reveal Las Vegas’s crime rate is not as high as transport systems, but the cameras used are compatible with ZeroEyes technology, and mass shootings have been a major concern since The Strip incident in 2017 where 58 people were killed by Stephen Paddock.

Apple Intelligence Will Not Be Launched With iOS 18 Update - 2

Photo Omid Armin on Unsplash

Apple Intelligence Will Not Be Launched With iOS 18 Update

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by

“Apple Intelligence will arrive later than anticipated, coming in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 in October and missing the initial September releases. Still, 18.1 will go into beta for developers this week,” shared Gurman in a post on X.

NEW: Apple Intelligence will arrive later than anticipated, coming in iOS 18.1 and iPadOS 18.1 in October and missing the initial September releases. Still, 18.1 will go into beta for developers this week. https://t.co/LqXDvjO6ef — Mark Gurman (@markgurman) July 28, 2024

Apple Intelligence was the highlight of Apple’s most recent event, and is one of the most important updates this year. The technology is expected to add innovative features to iPhones, Macs, and iPads, enhance Siri and integrate ChatGPT. However, according to Mashable , Apple is not ready to release it to the public yet as it needs more time to fix bugs.

Mashable explains that Apple never gave official dates and that the company only suggested a release for fall. However, many users were expecting the new product soon, integrated with the new OS update, as a beta version of the iOS 18 had already been released days ago.

This delay could also affect the new iPhone 16 software, as Apple suggested that the new iPhones would have Apple Intelligence already integrated.

Many users have shared their support for the tech giant’s decision to delay the release on social media. “With something as groundbreaking and deeply integrated as Apple Intelligence, it is preferable that it be extremely polished upon release,” wrote one user on X . Developers who will be able to test the new AI product in beta shared their excitement. “I’m looking forward to testing the new features as a newbie developer,” added another X user .