AI to be used at Gov level in France to help in the Olympics

 The French government intends to use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in crowd control during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The system won’t use facial recognition technology, but it’s meant to make it easier for security services to spot disturbances and potential issues, according to the bill.

The innovation may prove particularly helpful during the incredibly ambitious open-air opening ceremony, which will feature Olympians sailing down the Seine in front of a massive crowd of 600,000 spectators.

Following chaotic events during the Champions League final in Paris, where football fans were crushed in a crowd and tear gassed, French police and sports officials came under heavy fire in May.

The proposed law, which was delivered to the cabinet on Thursday, also calls for the use of full-body scanners and stiffer penalties for hooliganism.

Those in favor of using so-called “intelligent” security camera software that searches images for suspicious or dangerous behavior include organizers and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

According to the draft law, using such a system during the Olympics is an “experiment,” but it may be used for future public events that face crowd control or terrorism risks.

The bill specifies that “neither facial recognition technology nor biometric data are used, nor does it enable any link or interconnection with any other personal data system.”.

On November 21, the organizing committee for the games announced that, in part due to inflation, it was necessary to increase its budget estimate by 10%, from 3 point 98 billion euros to 4 point 48 billion euros.

A ceremony with a flotilla of about 200 boats sailing down the Seine on July 26, 2024, will open the games instead of the customary athletics stadium.

Government estimates suggest that 500,000 people will watch for free from the street level, while 100,000 people will need to purchase tickets to attend on the river’s banks.