Adriano Espaillat Asks The Capitol Police Chief About Using AI To Protect The Capitol

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During a House Appropriations Committee Hearing about Capitol Complex Safety last week, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) asked a witness on how the country can use AI as a better tool for security within the Capitol Building.  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript   Stay Connected Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com

Transcript

00:00Please. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chief, as you mentioned in the statement,

00:10the recent security breaches, particularly at building entrances, have been unacceptable.

00:17During your testimony, you discussed the use of artificial intelligence to ensure security

00:24screening is as effective as possible. As you may know, I support the use of advanced technology,

00:32particularly artificial intelligence, to secure the campus.

00:37And so, it's somewhat mind-boggling that as we move forward with artificial intelligence

00:44and other technologies that we cannot really adopt them and be more secure.

00:51Can you update us on how advanced threat detection over open areas can help further

00:58secure our campus in this season of increased threats from lone actors?

01:04And if there's anything that you can shed on the artificial intelligence component, we appreciate it.

01:11So, as I mentioned, we installed the artificial intelligence in our x-ray machines last year.

01:17That artificial intelligence, there are advances every single day. In fact,

01:22yesterday, I met with the vendor who provides us with the artificial intelligence, and he talked

01:28about the testing that they're doing and the improvements that we will, in fact, incorporate

01:36into our, make sure that we incorporate them into our machines. There's also

01:45the ability to use artificial intelligence in other venues where, not just at screening places,

01:52but if you have demonstrations or you have some sort of crowd that is creating some sort of

02:00disruption, there's technology that we should explore that would allow us to have some idea

02:09whether the folks in that crowd have a prohibited item or a weapon on them. So, all of this is

02:15technology, I think, that we need to continue to explore, and my hope is that we could get

02:22the support of this committee and, frankly, of Congress using some of this technology.

02:30I know that there has been some hesitancy. For instance, one of the things I would love to see us

02:36get to is that, as someone puts their bag on the x-ray machine, that there's a photo of the person

02:44that put the bag on the machine and a photo of the bag, so you can link the two. Right now,

02:52we have people, you know, you've got, you know, people in line, people are throwing their stuff

02:56on the bag. Half the time, you don't know whose bag belongs to who, and we, you know, things like

03:01that, that we can, I think, be more precise and use the advancements in artificial intelligence

03:06to help us. So, you know, and I'm sure the chairman remembers that one of my pet peeves is,

03:11you know, the fact that, you know, the cars are swept in entrance to the Capitol, but, yes, as

03:19the dogs are sweeping the cars, you have dozens of people, runners and cyclists with backpacks,

03:29going right in unimpeded, and so I'm hopeful that this artificial intelligence model that

03:35we're looking to implement could have, like, a full-body scan of these folks and the campus

03:42itself will be better protected so that we're not wide open, if you may. It's just a matter of having

03:47enough room to put that kind of technology at our screening locations. Thank you. Thank you,

03:53Mr. Chairman. I yield back. Thank you, Chief, again for your service. Mr. Espillat, Mr. Lelota,

03:57you're recognized for your five minutes.

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