In Machines We Trust: When AI watches the streets

The term ‘smart city’ paints a picture of a tech-enabled oasis—powered by sensors of all kinds. But we’re starting to recognize what all these tools might mean for privacy. In this episode, we meet a researcher studying how this is being applied in Iran and visit one of the nation’s top smart cities, to learn how its efforts there have evolved over time. We Meet: University of Oxford and Article19 Human Rights Researcher Mahsa Alimardani City of Las Vegas Chief Innovation Officer Michael Sherwood City of Hope Director of Campus Support Operations Mark Reed Sounds: How will artificial intelligence change the cities we live in? - BBC Ideas via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXxyCBimRyM ‘Smart’ cities promise economic and environmental benefits to the developing world - CBC News via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u08A7yiTmu4 Singapore is building a city in China - CNBC via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP11XeIV1ZA Global Smart Cities - The China Current via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qmiqHWD6Uc Footage appears to show Iranian riot police confronting students at university in Tehran - The Guardian via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgQshPJohmg China: facial recognition and state control - The Economist via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH2gMNrUuEY Facial recognition: Concerns over China's widespread surveillance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT6KEy_QXvM Credits: This episode was reported and produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green with help from Emma Cillekens. It was edited by Mat Honan, and mixed by Garret Lang, with original music by Garret Lang and Jacob Gorski. Artwork by Stephanie Arnett.