The Download: how people really use AI, and Flock’s design choices
New research from the AI Observatory suggests that public usage of AI models varies significantly by task, contradicting some corporate-provided data. Additionally, the article examines the design choices of Flock Safety's license plate reader network and the resulting implications for civil liberties.
Why it matters
Understanding how AI is actually used and how surveillance technology is governed is critical for shaping future tech policy and privacy standards.
Plus: a child privacy trial starting today could change Meta forever.
This is today's edition of The Download , our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI regularly publish reports on how people are using their products. But they only release the data they want us to see, AI researchers say, and there’s no independent source to corroborate it.
A new research project called the AI Observatory aims to fill in the gap. Its analysis shows many more sensitive behaviors than are captured in reports from major AI companies, which focus more on work than on personal use.
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