In Silicon Valley, AI is already being utilized by tech companies, and now the city of San Jose hopes to follow suit. "We see it as a competition to showcase their capabilities, " states Khaled Tawfik, the Chief Information Officer for the City of San Jose. Their goal for AI is to detect minor issues before they escalate into larger problems, such as potholes, graffiti, and homeless encampments. As part of the pilot program, Blue Dome Technologies is one of five companies involved. They demonstrated their technology, currently focused on road hazards but are also training their model to identify growing homeless encampments. "We use a simple Go Pro camera mounted on city vehicles. As they drive around, videos are uploaded to track the growth of encampments over time, " explains Swaroop Patnaik of Blue Dome. Other companies, like Ash Sensors, are also working on this. They utilize a combination of cameras, lasers, and sensors. While their main focus is on the structural integrity of buildings, they are adapting their technology to meet the city's requirements. "With AI, you must teach it what to search for. This is a pothole. That is a building. Here's graffiti, and here's not graffiti, " says Kenneth Salsman, the Chief Technology Officer of Ash Sensors. San Jose currently has one vehicle equipped with cameras, and only three test runs have been conducted so far.

However, homeless advocates have concerns that this high-tech solution may not effectively address the deeply rooted human problem. "People may view this as just another tool, but for what purpose?" questions Scott Wagers, a homeless advocate. "We need to focus on getting unhoused individuals into permanent housing. That has always been the solution. " City officials acknowledge the potential risks associated with AI, such as privacy concerns and biases. They emphasize the importance of implementing policies and ensuring transparency. "We must address the privacy and bias risks that accompany AI. Rushing without proper understanding can lead to trouble, " warns Tawfik. There is no specific timeline for the duration of the pilot program. City officials anticipate that it will take time to assess the capabilities of AI. At the end of the program, a competitive bidding process will likely take place if they decide to proceed. They also believe that the insights gained from this pilot program could serve as a valuable model for other cities in the future.