In a city as vibrant and bustling as New York, the subway system is a vital lifeline, but it's also a battleground for a technological revolution. The MTA, the agency responsible for the city's subway, is on a mission to tackle fare evasion, and they're turning to AI for help.
Three tech giants are currently in a heated competition to secure a multi-billion-dollar contract to redesign the iconic subway turnstiles. These turnstiles, which have been blamed for facilitating fare evasion, are getting a modern upgrade with a focus on AI integration.
Over the past two months, these companies have installed their innovative fare gate designs at ten subway stations as part of a pilot program. The program is set to expand rapidly, with plans to include twenty stations in the coming weeks, according to MTA Chair Janno Lieber.
But here's where it gets controversial: at least two of these companies are boasting about their use of artificial intelligence to track fare evaders. Cubic, the designer of the previous MetroCard system and the current turnstiles, has faced criticism for delays and issues with the rollout of the MTA's OMNY tap-to-pay system. Despite these challenges, Cubic's director of business development, Anthony Louh, believes the company is now better prepared for this massive contract.
Cubic's new gates are being tested at high-traffic stations like Atlantic Terminal and Port Authority. The company plans to add these gates to the 125th Street station soon. These gates are equipped with surveillance technology that automatically alerts the MTA whenever someone evades the fare. The system uses cameras to record a five-second clip of the suspected evader, and then AI generates a physical description, which is sent to the MTA.
However, Cubic is not the only player in this game. Conduent, another contender, has already installed similar modern fare gates in Philadelphia's subway system. Conduent also claims to use AI technology to collect data on fare evaders.
STraffic, the third company, has not yet provided details about their proposal. The MTA spokesperson, Eugene Resnick, stated that the pilot program will continue, and the results will be reviewed to select the vendor for the future fare gates.
The MTA's goal is to install these new entry points at 150 of the subway's 472 stations. But this is not the only AI-related initiative the agency is pursuing. Last year, the MTA announced its collaboration with AI companies to develop software that can detect 'problematic behavior' among riders.
As the MTA embraces AI to enhance its operations, it raises questions about privacy and the potential for overreach. What do you think about the use of AI in public spaces? Is it a necessary step to improve efficiency and security, or does it cross a line? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
