A series of recent news stories have highlighted the massive advances made in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), specifically in regard to facial recognition technologies. For example, according to the BBC, the police used live facial recognition technology to scan the crowd at a recent airshow in the UK, leading to the arrests of three people.

Last week, the Transportation Security Administration arrested a woman after facial recognition devices detected her trying to use someone else’s identification and boarding pass at Tampa International Airport. Meanwhile, NBC News reports facial recognition technology is being used at Major League Baseball stadiums across the United States, and Reason magazine says the National Football League is next.

Less than two years ago, NBC News detailed the story of Kelly Conlon. Conlin was kicked out of Radio City Music Hall after facial recognition technology alerted security to her presence. She was entering the venue with her daughter and a pack of Girl Scouts to watch the Rockettes. Conlin was an attorney at a law firm suing the parent company of Radio City Music Hall.

Even though Conlin wasn’t directly involved in the litigation, the venue pulled her photo from her law firm’s website and added it to their database. Facial recognition technology instantly identified her as she entered, and security personnel showed her the door. This is the world in which we now live. More and more public venues are under constant surveillance…