Safety in the Techno-Mediated City: Insights from Bengaluru's AI-Powered CCTV Network

Despite ample criticisms, cities are increasingly using closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, justified by citing urban safety. How safety is evoked within such technology-laden projects is little studied. To address this gap, we empirically investigated the Bengaluru Safe City Project, an AI-powered surveillance system. We qualitatively analyzed key documents describing the surveillance system’s intended purposes and technological capabilities. Our analysis uncovers three themes: gendered notions of safety, the cameras’ gaze, and the need for human engagement with the system. We show how socio-politically informed priorities influence the safety notions within the surveillance system.