The City of Santa Cruz led the nation in 2020 by restricting facial recognition technology, yet new artificial intelligence tools are quietly expanding the reach of surveillance, writes civil libertarian Steve Pleich. Before these systems become commonplace, he believes local cities and the county board of supervisors should establish clear rules that continue to protect both public safety and civil liberties. He insists privacy should not disappear simply because technology evolves.
artificial intelligence
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
AI data centers might just save rooftop solar — and your electric bill
Artificial intelligence data centers are poised to transform California’s electric grid — but they might also rescue rooftop solar from years of political backlash, say clean-energy advocates Angela Lipanovich, an attorney, and Jenny Folkesson, a computer scientist. They argue that the AI boom exposes flaws in the “solar cost shift” debate and presents a chance to lower electricity costs by pairing data-center investment with distributed solar and battery storage. They say the result could mean more affordable power for Santa Cruz County ratepayers — and a surprising new future for rooftop solar.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
Letter to the editor: Using AI instead of people is terrible and will deplete Social Security
In a letter to the editor, a Santa Cruz resident points out that using AI for customer service cuts humans out of the process and means less payroll tax into the U.S. Social Security system.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
How buying a washing machine became an AI comedy: Why the AI customer service revolution is a failure
“We are repeatedly told that artificial intelligence will provide faster, more personalized and more efficient service, Stanford scholar Robert M. Kaplan writes after a series of chatbot misadventures. “Yet consumer frustration with AI interfaces has become commonplace, and many problems remain unresolved. “
Posted inBusiness & Technology
AI is helping gas stations collude to raise California fuel prices, lawsuit says
Software powered by artificial intelligence has allowed gas station operators across California to illegally collude and drive up prices at the pump, according to a federal lawsuit.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
California admits using high-risk AI — including systems it failed to report last year
State officials have found they are using six high-risk AI-like systems. One year ago, they reported using zero.
Posted inLatest News
California judges are testing a new AI clerk, and you won’t know if it’s looking at your case
Courts in Los Angeles and Riverside counties are testing an artificial intelligence tool and deciding whether it can be used in high-stakes criminal cases.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
After AI layoffs, Newsom orders state government to find ways to ease the pain
In an executive order, California Gov. Gavin Newsom called on state officials to study everything from job subsidies to stock compensation policies to mitigate tech-driven layoffs stemming from the use of artificial intelligence.
Posted inLatest News
California turns to AI as whale deaths spike
Whales have often gone unnoticed by mariners, but an artificial intelligence-powered detection network launched this week is designed to track them day and night. The effort comes amid an alarming rise in gray whale deaths in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Data centers are guzzling California’s water. We have no idea how much
Data centers are expanding into water-stressed California communities, but lax disclosure rules keep the public in the dark about actual usage.
