By eliminating privacy.
AI startup Flock Safety aims to eliminate crime in America using its vast, AI-powered surveillance network, which includes over 80,000 license plate readers and soon, drones. CEO Garrett Langley promotes a vision of a ‘crime-free city’ that respects civil liberties, a claim strongly disputed by privacy advocates who view the technology as an unconstitutional mass surveillance tool. The company, valued at $7.5 billion, is rapidly expanding its law enforcement and corporate client base. However, it faces significant opposition from activist groups, legal challenges over data sharing, and a fierce market battle with police-tech giant Axon. Flock is also developing ‘Nova,’ a controversial tool to fuse surveillance footage with sensitive personal data like Social Security numbers, further intensifying the debate over privacy in an era of ubiquitous automated surveillance.