That proposition is going to be tested, at least according to Michael Kemper, chief security officer for the MTA, the largest public transit agency in the country.
During a recent hearing, he said software from AI providers could eventually help the agency and law enforcement keep tabs on potentially dangerous behavior on subways, in part via real-time analysis of data collected by cameras. They now monitor every subway platform and train car.
The idea is to “sense potential trouble or problematic behavior on our subway platforms,” he said.
That, in turn, could alert security guards or police officers to the brewing problem, improving response times and theoretically reducing crime.
At the hearing, he offered no details about the companies to which he has reached out or any specifics about pilots or planned deployments of the technology. Nor did he give any deep explanation about what types of behavior might trigger security responses. But facial recognition reportedly will not be a part of this effort.
“AI is the future,” Kemper said during the hearing, during which he said that artificial intelligence can help identify people suspected of committing crimes, among other tasks.
Crime in New York City subways has stood as a cultural and political issue for decades. Recently, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul sent at least 1,000 National Guard members to patrol subways in an effort to reduce crime and boost riders’ sense of safety.
New York City police have reported a decline in major crimes committed on the subway system even as assaults have increased. Ten people reportedly were murdered in 2024 in the subway.
In all, overall crime on the subway fell by 5.4 percent in 2024 compared to 2023 — outpacing the 3 percent year-over-year reduction in crime for all of New York City.
No matter what happens with AI and crime on those underground trains in the Big Apple, this new push represents the latest try to use artificial intelligence on mass transit in the name of safety — a push that presents business opportunities for suppliers of the technology.
Los Angeles and Chicago, for instance, have called for and tested AI weapons-detection technology on their mass transit systems. Also in L.A., AI-backed cameras mounted on city buses have generated about 10,000 citations for parking violations.
