Microsoft has recently restated its prohibition on U.S. law enforcement agencies utilizing generative AI for facial recognition through its Azure OpenAI Service.
The updated terms of service explicitly forbid the integration of Azure OpenAI Service with police departments in the U.S. for facial recognition purposes, including both current and potential future image-analyzing models developed by OpenAI.
The revised terms also extend the ban to encompass “any law enforcement globally,” prohibiting the utilization of real-time facial recognition technology on mobile cameras, such as body cameras and dashcams, for identifying individuals in uncontrolled environments.
Microsoft Bans U.S. Police Departments (Credits: Cryptopolitan)
This policy shift follows the revealing of a new product by Axon, a manufacturer of military and law enforcement technologies, which employs OpenAI’s GPT-4 generative text model to summarize audio captured by body cameras.
Concerns were raised regarding potential issues such as false information generated by the AI models and biases introduced from training data, particularly concerning racial disparities in policing.
While it remains uncertain whether Axon’s product used GPT-4 via Azure OpenAI Service, the timing suggests a possible influence on the updated policy.
However, the ban on Azure OpenAI Service usage applies only to U.S. law enforcement and does not extend to international agencies. Additionally, facial recognition conducted with stationary cameras in controlled settings, such as office environments, is not covered by the ban.
Microsoft bans US police departments from using enterprise AI tool for facial recognition (Credits: PaySpace Magazine)
This nuanced approach aligns with Microsoft’s and OpenAI’s recent stance on AI-related contracts with law enforcement and defense agencies. Despite the restrictions, both entities have engaged in collaborations with government entities, including the Pentagon, for various projects involving AI capabilities.
Azure OpenAI Service has been integrated into Microsoft’s Azure Government product, tailored to meet the compliance and management needs of government agencies, including law enforcement.
Microsoft Federal’s SVP, Candice Ling, has assured that Azure OpenAI Service will undergo further authorization processes for supporting Department of Defense missions.
