Canadian police are expanding the use of artificial intelligence and automated cameras capable of identifying and tracking vehicles, despite a newly exposed military intelligence assessment warning the Liberal government about the role that these technologies play in facilitating authoritarianism.
The warning appears in a previously top-secret Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM) assessment obtained by Juno News through a lengthy access-to-information process.
The 2024 military intelligence brief, Global Spread of Digital Authoritarianism, assesses how authoritarian governments use digital technology to monitor their citizenry and strengthen state control. Significant portions remain withheld for national security reasons.
Among what CFINTCOM calls the “toolset of the digital authoritarian” are physical surveillance systems including “smart cities,” facial recognition and biometric technology, artificial intelligence, digital identity systems, and central bank digital currencies.
