France’s National Assembly on Thursday approved the use of artificial intelligence (AI) video surveillance systems during the 2024 Paris Olympics.

It comes after warnings from civil rights groups that the technology poses a threat to civil liberties were ignored, Reuters reported.

Video surveillance using artificial intelligence at the 2024 Paris Olympics

The government says algorithmic video surveillance can detect “pre-determined events”, anomalous behavior and increased overcrowding, helping to ensure the safety of the millions of tourists expected to flood the French capital next summer.

Positive preliminary votes in the Senate and Assembly cleared the biggest legislative hurdles, although the decision could be challenged in a higher constitutional court.

If passed, France would become the first country in the European Union to legalize artificial intelligence-based surveillance.

Alarming precedent of surveillance, warning of some European parliamentarians

Last week, a group of several dozen European lawmakers said it would set a disturbing precedent for surveillance.

In justifying the technology, Stéphane Mazar, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, said that “in the eyes of the whole world, France will have to face the biggest security challenge in its history”.

The plan to deploy artificial intelligence surveillance has faced strong opposition from human rights groups such as Amnesty International and digital rights groups.

They argue that technology threatens civil liberties and draws a dangerous line in the sand.

The debate in France comes as the European Union is debating its own artificial intelligence law, a landmark EU piece of legislation governing the use of artificial intelligence in Europe that has been in the works for more than two years.

In addition to the use of AI by companies, EU legislation will also address AI used in the public sector and in law enforcement.

The French privacy watchdog CNIL supports the French government’s bill on the condition that biometric data will not be processed.

Supporters of the bill say so, but privacy experts are skeptical.

“You can do two things: detect objects or analyze human behavior — the latter processes biometric data,” said Daniel Leufer, a policy adviser at digital rights group Access Now, which advocates for a ban on biometric data collection in public spaces. in the EU AI law, News.ro reports.

The Olympic Games in Paris will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024.