source: techcrunch ai: meta wants its ai glasses to seem less creepy. its ai strategy says otherwise.
level: business
meta announced a new safety feature for its ai glasses that disables the camera if the recording led light is tampered with. the move aims to address concerns that the glasses can be used as surveillance devices. some users had covered the led with tape or tried to destroy it to record without consent. meta says no other camera has done this and calls it an industry first.
on the same day, meta revealed that its ai can now use public instagram photos to generate images unless users opt out. it also built features to use meta ai on unshared camera roll images. the company faces lawsuits over privacy violations, including one from kenyan workers who viewed graphic content while training ai on glasses videos. meta's privacy policy states that images shared with meta ai can be used for training.
meta is reportedly testing a prototype that continuously collects audio and takes photos every few seconds. despite the new safeguard, the company's broader ai plans rely on collecting more personal data. meta has a history of privacy issues, including the cambridge analytica scandal, and apple refused to partner with it due to privacy concerns. the led feature may reduce some risks, but meta's data practices remain a concern.
why it matters: the tension between hardware safeguards and data-hungry ai features shows the challenge of trusting tech companies with personal information.
source: techcrunch ai: meta wants its ai glasses to seem less creepy. its ai strategy says otherwise.