Professionals are integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into every sector imaginable. From retail to health care, it enables better accuracy and faster workflows. It may come as no surprise that law and safety enforcers are also exploring how AI can optimize their operations. The following cities have been utilizing AI-powered video surveillance in various ways.
1. Seoul, South Korea
Dejaview aims to detect and predict crimes in Seoul to help law enforcement. Researchers trained the system on position determination technology, old closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, crime statistics, and other details so it could pick up on signals that indicate illegal activity is happening or occurring soon. Police can now scan what CCTV systems capture faster because AI will monitor suspicious areas, times, and human movements.
A mobile automated surveillance assistant is also in the works. From July 2025 through 2029, ₩13.99 billion will go to developing a mobile surveillance system that can recognize crime based on voice, spot cars engaging in illegal driving habits, and alert officers to obstacles en route to a scene.
2. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur’s city hall announced in 2024 that it installed 5,000 AI-compatible CCTV cameras in markets, parks, crime hot spots, and high-traffic areas. Officials say the cameras should help them reduce congestion and crime by monitoring for illegal advertisements, suspicious activity, and traffic violations. It can even help them spot flood risks and respond to in-progress floods faster.
Kuala Lumpur City Hall officials say the installations are part of its traffic management and safety efforts, improving operational efficiency. They also hope to create a city where people feel safer.
3. Hong Kong, China
Specifically in Kwun Tong, a project will launch in the third quarter of 2025 that aims to reduce traffic. Cameras will survey the streets to monitor congestion, notify users of accidents, recommend traffic light changes, and get assistance to accidents faster. To make the public feel at ease, officials clarified the system will not use facial recognition and will delete the footage after 28 days.
In 2024, there was also an effort to monitor crime using AI and CCTV footage. The city installed 15 cameras in Mong Kok in April and used them to investigate 13 crimes, including an incident of two people installing a false keypad and card reader in an ATM. Commissioner of Police Raymond Siu said there were plans to install 2,000-2,500 cameras annually after 2024 while assuring the public that captured video would only remain for 30 days with strict access guidelines.
4. Singapore
The whole of Singapore is bustling with ideas for AI-powered video surveillance. Thanks to requirements from the Ministry of Manpower, construction projects costing $5 million or more after June 1, 2024, must use this technology to identify unsafe actions or conditions on worksites. The Senior Minister of State for Manpower said the government wants to create a safety excellence culture in Singapore, so fines for employers breaching protocol will jump from $20,000 to $50,000.
There are also tech-based efforts to reduce littering. Senior Minister of State for Sustainability Amy Khor says the plan is to identify areas of high littering, notify residents of the increase, and advise them on reduction strategies. If litter rates don’t decrease, cameras with analytics will be installed to catch the offenders. While the program enabled 3,300 actions, Khor says the technology only supplements the department’s efforts, and community outreach is vital.
Law enforcement also uses AI video cameras. The Police Operations Command Centre deployed its Police Camera (PolCam) in 2012. Since then, over 90,000 PolCams have helped the Singapore Police Force in more than 7,500 cases. As of 2023, there were plans to install 200,000 more by the mid-2030s.
Risks and challenges of AI-powered video surveillance
Though utilizing AI alongside video surveillance can make law and safety enforcement more efficient, there are factors to be aware of. To avoid financial and legal trouble, cities must consider these issues and threats:
- Data management: AI-enabled video surveillance will generate massive amounts of data that require analysis and storage. Cities must address how they will secure this information at rest and in transit and securely delete it to avoid creating a goldmine for cybercriminals.
- Public buy-in: Are citizens actually interested in automated surveillance? Innovations like facial recognition could arouse privacy, false positives, tracking, and overuse concerns. Some may also worry about misuse, such as using it to target specific populations or protesters. Urban decision-makers must be transparent about how they will use AI and value constituents’ input.
- Cyberattacks: Experts determined street video surveillance is one of the most risky smart city technologies. Because personally identifiable information is on the line, threat actors are likely to launch attacks to get to it. The public must know about this risk, and technology professionals must use cybersecurity best practices to keep thieves out.
- Bias: An algorithm is only as unbiased as the data it’s trained on. If training data is full of stereotypes — intentionally or unintentionally — it can lead to incorrect results that misconstrue populations. Multiple diverse parties should review the training information to reduce the chances of bias.
AI-powered video surveillance could transform urban safety
AI has enabled massive strides in multiple industries, including law and safety. These camera systems can help police officers respond to incidents sooner, and health and environmental personnel ensure businesses and citizens follow protocols. However, their implementation and use deserve extreme care.
Zac Amos is the Features Editor at ReHack, where he covers business tech, HR, and cybersecurity. He is also a regular contributor at AllBusiness, TalentCulture, and VentureBeat. For more of his work, follow him on Twitter or LinkedIn.
TNGlobal INSIDER publishes contributions relevant to entrepreneurship and innovation. You may submit your own original or published contributions subject to editorial discretion.