BY BRITT GILLETTE
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.
Back in 2018, I wrote about China's Yitu Technologies, a company that was at the forefront of developing AI and facial recognition technologies. Yitu created a technology called Dragonfly.
Dragonfly could search and analyze billions of photographs and locate a single person in a matter of seconds. Connected to cameras in the Shanghai Metro, it identified over 500 criminals in a three-month period. It was so powerful, it could recognize people wearing disguises. It could also identify people using pictures that are more than 30 years old. And keep in mind, that was six years ago.
Think of the power this technology gives the Chinese government today. As facial recognition continues to improve and as every camera in the nation is connected to it, criminals will increasingly have nowhere to hide. Unfortunately, no one else will either. Chinese dissidents, political activists, ethnic minorities, Christians, and other "enemies of the state" will also have nowhere to hide. And, as we just read, China isn't the only entity taking advantage of this technology.
The Rise of Big Brother
In George Orwell's novel 1984, we're first introduced to "Big Brother" - an omnipresent, all-powerful and "well-intentioned" totalitarian regime. The book's hero, Winston Smith, lives in a world where every citizen is under 24/7 surveillance. Personal privacy doesn't exist. Government controls every aspect of life. Monitors in Winston's apartment spy on him when he's home.
Other devices spy on him when he's not home. Hidden cameras and microphones capture his words, deeds, and even his facial expressions. His mail is opened, and "thought police" search for and arrest any citizens who dare to have thoughts or feelings outside of those sanctioned by Big Brother and the ruling elite.
Winston's world is a place of absolute governmental control. No conversation, movement, or transaction goes unnoticed. The government is watching - always. In the decades since Orwell first released 1984, people have marveled at what they see as great insight into our future. And they're right to do so. Because 1984 is becoming our reality. And unfortunately, all the examples we just mentioned are just a small part of what's coming. Why do I say that? Because we're only in the first stages of the AI revolution.
The Coming Global Empire
So why does all this matter? Because two thousand years ago the Bible said a single government will rule all the people of the world (Revelation 13:7). It also said the leader of that government will exercise such total control he'll be able to decide who can buy or sell anything (Revelation 13:17). Think about those statements. A global government will have total and complete control over all commerce.
To achieve this feat requires a police state the likes of which the world has never seen. Was such a state possible in the 1st Century? No. Was it possible in the 20th Century? No. How about in this century? Yes. It will be. And it won't just be a possibility. It will be reality. Government won't be able to resist the temptation AI and other advanced technologies offer. It's just one more sign we're nearing the end of the present age.
Remember, global government isn't the only sign of the end. But it's appearing at the same time as the other signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for. Israel is back in the land (Jeremiah 23:7-8)... The Jewish people once again reside in Jerusalem (Luke 21:24-28)... Though small, Israel has an exceedingly great army (Ezekiel 37:10)... Europe is unifying (Daniel 2:31-45)... And the Gospel is being preached to the ends of the earth (Matthew 24:14). These are all signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for. And our generation is the first ever to witness these signs. Think this is mere coincidence? I don't either.
1 comment:
People are not stupid, how long before people devise their own economy that runs without government? History has shown this, a currency for the rich and another for the poor.
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