Yesterday, more than 100 people packed PhillyCAM for the first-ever City Council public hearing on how Philly government uses AI and surveillance. Here’s what we learned (and what we didn’t):
City officials dodged basic questions. Asked about how the city regulates AI use, policy, the documented risk of bias in the tech, and crucial privacy protections, the city’s tech heads repeatedly said they didn’t know and deferred to future policies, passed the buck to other departments, offering little info on current practices. Unprepared, uninformed, uninspiring. And unacceptable.
Notable quotes:
“We are not aware.”
“We’re still discussing that.”
— Philly Chief Technology Officer Melissa Scott and Chief Legal Counsel Kristin Bray
Our data could be in ICE’s hands. When Councilmember Landau asked directly whether AI tools would be used to cooperate with ICE and deportation efforts, city tech heads dodged to resounding boos: “We’ll get back to you.”
Notable quote:
“I don’t want to give up my freedoms for someone else’s idea of safety.”
— Councilmember Jim Harrity
Oversight is way overdue. While city tech heads twiddle their thumbs, AI accelerates. City Council has the power to ban the most harmful uses of AI, prohibit the expansion of toxic data centers, and protect us from AI use in high-stakes decisions like housing, public benefits, schools, and parole.
Notable quote:
“AI isn’t designed to work all the time, and there need to be plans in place for when it fails.”
— Dr. Sorelle Friedler
Our communities are the experts. The people spoke clearly: we want parks, libraries, schools, and jobs. Not black box AI that makes our lives worse while making billionaires richer.
“Investing in the foundations of our communities—more schools, public parks and libraries, job training programs, and deeply affordable housing—is frequently the smarter, more durable investment than the promised ‘quick fix’ of a tech product”
— Alli Finn, AI Now
The stakes are high. The people have a vision. The mayor has to hear us. Councilmembers are on alert, and we have to make sure they keep pushing back.
Keep the pressure on by becoming an AI watchdog, because nothing good happens in the dark. Sign up here to join our watchdog list and learn about next steps to fight unaccountable AI in the hometown we love.