CITY OF MEMPHIS
existing capability be better leveraged to help the local government detect , and resolve , other nuisances ?
“ We ’ ve been perfecting the algorithm as we go because we want to make sure that it ’ s identifying and reporting potholes correctly ,” Boateng continues . “ We want to make sure that people who drive on our streets are safe , but also we want to introduce this technology as part of our governing process for the City of Memphis .”
He recognises that expansion of AI will always – for the time being , at least – provoke privacy and security concerns , particularly when it ’ s being used by the government . After all , the same technology that today is being used to detect potholes could inherently be used for facial recognition , which is a highly sensitive and controversial topic . Every new technology that is onboarded by the city is intensely scrutinised from a legal and regulatory standpoint , as well as to ensure the security and integrity of the software itself , to ensure that Memphis ’ digital revolution is undertaken safely . “ We do not want to infringe anybody ’ s privacy ,” Boateng assures .
Smart technology for safer streets The city is also using AI to herald a smarter era in street light management . Before – when the only options for street lamps were ‘ on ’ and ‘ off ’ – linear decisions had to be taken about how the city ’ s streets were lit . But now , with the advance of technology , the city government
can take a much more strategic approach . The city is currently embarking on a huge project to upgrade and replace its existing street light infrastructure with LED smart lights – a mammoth task that involves switching out more than 77,000 lights across the entire city . Dimly-lit street corners breed crime and unsociable behaviour , so ensuring that streets are lit efficiently is a priority in terms of public safety and order .
But not all street corners are equal . The amount of light needed might depend on the amount of traffic on a particular street , or whether there are any unique circumstances such as business
124 January 2024