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October 9, 2024
Amazon Ring, the well-known provider of home security cameras, is introducing a new feature: AI-powered video search. This allows users of the "Home Pro" subscription to search their video recordings for specific objects and actions – a first in the industry, but not without its flaws.
Liz Hamren, CEO of Amazon Ring, describes the new feature as a major advancement for users. Instead of painstakingly scrolling through hours of video footage, they can now simply enter search terms like "package today" and immediately receive the relevant clips.
The AI was trained using "Contrastive Learning" to recognize objects such as packages, people, vehicles and animals, as well as actions such as running. Weather phenomena are also to be recognized. Hamren emphasizes that the search is tailored to the needs of users and blocks sensitive terms. For example, searches for terms such as "gun" or "black" did not produce results in tests, even though corresponding scenes were present in the video footage.
The new feature is part of a broader strategy by Ring, which under Hamren's leadership is moving away from deterrence through surveillance and toward a sense of security and control through detailed insights into what's happening on your doorstep.
In WIRED's test, the AI-powered video search proved functional, but also revealed some weaknesses. Simple searches for objects such as "backpack" or "shopping cart" led to largely correct results. More complex searches, however, often led to misinterpretations. For example, headlights of oncoming cars were interpreted as "fireworks," and the search for "blonde women" yielded not only people but also footage of Golden Retrievers.
Particularly noticeable was the AI's inability to recognize certain objects such as baseball bats or hammers. The search for specific logo lettering on clothing was also unsuccessful, as the function does not directly recognize text.
The introduction of AI-powered video search also raises privacy concerns. Ring assures that search queries are not stored in user accounts. However, anonymized search terms could be used to improve the feature.
Although the feature is still struggling with some teething problems, it is a clear sign of the future of AI-powered surveillance. Ring is already planning to implement the technology for further features such as automatic notification of specific events and the creation of video summaries.
Whether the increasing integration of AI in security cameras will lead to more security and convenience or to an invasion of privacy remains to be seen. What is certain is that the development in the field of AI-supported surveillance is progressing rapidly and will lastingly change our relationship to technology and privacy.
https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-ring-new-ai-video-search-tool-mixed-results/
https://www.wired.com/category/gear/gear-news-events/
https://www.theverge.com/24111326/ai-search-perplexity-copilot-you-google-review
https://m.slashdot.org/story/360356
https://en.pressbee.net/show3357800.html?title=ring-s-new-ai-search-tool-lets-you-easily-scan-videos-with-mixed-
https://www.mywhiteboard.ai/
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https://yro.slashdot.org/story/21/06/03/1558252/amazons-ring-will-ask-police-to-publicly-request-user-videos
