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Philadelphia City Council held a hearing on artificial intelligence technology at PhillyCAM. Oct. 15, 2025. (Courtesy of PhillyCAM)<\/p>\nPhiladelphia city agencies use a variety of so-called artificial intelligence tools for a range of tasks, ranging from writing software and giving parking tickets, to flying police drones and doing facial recognition for criminal investigations, officials say.<\/p>\n
The profusion of such systems at city agencies was one of the takeaways from a City Council hearing Wednesday that explored the sprawling and potentially worrisome world of AI, and how the city is managing its burgeoning use both within and outside of government.<\/p>\n
Much of the hearing focused on potential harms from AI systems that might leak confidential data, produce errors, encroach on civil rights, exhibit bias, facilitate discrimination, be used to target immigrants, or make sensitive decisions in areas like health care and policing without human input.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Councilmember Jim Harrity mentioned the Tom Cruise movie \u201cMinority Report,\u201d in which police arrest predicted murderers before they commit any crime, and said he was wary of giving up any freedoms in the name of safety. Councilmember Nicholas O\u2019Rourke said it was up to cities like Philadelphia to individually make sure AI systems are used only in an ethical manner.<\/p>\n
Philadelphia City Council held a hearing on artificial intelligence technology at PhillyCAM. Oct. 15, 2025. (Courtesy of PhillyCAM)<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t rely anymore on Big Brother, the state, federal government, what have you. Localities, we have to look out for ourselves. We got to protect us,\u201d he said during the hearing, which was held at PhillyCAM, a community media center and studio.<\/p>\n
City officials testified that software programs labeled as artificial intelligence have already been used for years in ways that ultimately benefit residents. At the same time, some hearing attendees accused them of glossing over the police department\u2019s embrace of AI and moving too slowly to institute protections against its misuse.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis technology is moving very fast,\u201d said Councilmember Rue Landau, an attorney and the hearing organizer. \u201cWe have a U.S. Supreme Court who doesn\u2019t seem very set on enforcing the current laws that we have. It\u2019s really up to us to make sure that we\u2019re putting in the guardrails, to make sure that we\u2019re not going to go years in the past of perpetuating discrimination, perpetuating inequities, and making sure that we\u2019re taking care of people throughout Philadelphia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking for potholes, ticketing speeders<\/p>\n
Melissa Scott, the city\u2019s chief information officer in the Office of Innovation and Technology, said governments and companies have for decades used a class of AI systems called machine learning tools. They include software that can detect patterns, forecast demand for services, spot fraud, route 311 requests, find suspicious activity in computer security logs and improve search results.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s new in recent years is generative AI \u2014 systems that are trained on huge volumes of online text, pictures, and other media, and then can answer questions in plain English, create new images, or generate other content, Scott said.<\/p>\n
City agencies use some generative tools, such as GitHub Copilot, which takes a user\u2019s suggestions and creates software code; Microsoft\u2019s Copilot, the AI function in that company\u2019s word processing and other programs; Einstein GPT, which is used by Salesforce, a maker of 311 systems; and several others that Scott listed off during the hearing.<\/p>\n
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Philadelphia\u2019s chief information officer Melissa Scott, left, and the mayor\u2019s chief legal counsel Kristin Bray testified at a City Council hearing on artificial intelligence held at PhillyCAM. Oct. 15, 2025. (Courtesy of PhillyCAM)<\/p>\n
Landau said the Streets Department also uses an AI system to evaluate potholes and road obstructions, and the Philadelphia Parking Authority uses AI to issue tickets. Semi-automated ticketing systems in the city include red light cameras, speed cameras like those recently installed along Broad Street<\/a>, and bus-mounted cameras<\/a> targeting cars that block bus lanes.<\/p>\n Before a city agency starts using a product like Microsoft Copilot, Scott\u2019s staff does a risk analysis to examine the data the system outputs, look for errors and biases, and make sure employees are trained to detect incorrect information, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The city is also in the process of creating a training program on publicly accessible generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini for city employees so they understand the need to protect city data, Scott said.<\/p>\n \u201cSay you\u2019re working on something for the city, and you go home and you\u2019re working on it from home. I can\u2019t stop you from uploading that information into Gemini, and then it goes out into the ecosystem of the world,\u201d she said. \u201cWe have to train you and then hold individuals accountable, as far as letting them know that this is against the rules. You\u2019re not allowed to upload city data into these online tools.\u201d<\/p>\n The city will establish an interdepartmental Artificial Intelligence Governance committee early next year to review its policies, track evolving technology, work with experts, and make sure use of AI \u201cremains aligned with our values, our legal obligations and the expectations of our residents and employees,\u201d said Kristin Bray, chief legal counsel to Mayor Cherelle Parker and director of the Philly Stat 360 data dashboard.<\/p>\n Asked by Harrity and others if community members could have a role on the governance committee, Bray said discussions are under way about how to integrate the community, AI experts, and officials from other cities in the oversight process.<\/p>\n \u201cThe most advanced AI in the sky\u201d<\/p>\n During the hearing, Scott said that to her knowledge, the city is not using AI in law enforcement. That was one of several comments that prompted criticism from local tech activists, who noted that the city has in fact used technologies like license-plate readers for years.\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition, Scott and Bray failed to specify how the city checks for bias in technology procurement processes, and could not say who would serve on the governance committee, the activists said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe city\u2019s non-answers today were shocking and disappointing,\u201d said Devren Washington, organizing director at People\u2019s Tech Project and founder of the Philly Tech Justice Coalition. \u201cBut the people spoke clearly: we want parks and libraries, schools and jobs, not black box AI that makes our lives worse while making billionaires richer.\u201d<\/p>\n The Philadelphia Police Department subsequently confirmed that it does use AI systems and is considering deploying more of them. \u201cThe Police Department is part of a larger ecosystem in city government, and it adheres to a standard of practice for using technology and data integrity, as does every city agency and department,\u201d PPD said, in a statement provided by the mayor\u2019s office.<\/p>\n For example, the department uses AI-power facial recognition and image analysis for \u201climited, legally authorized investigations\u201d through the state police Justice Network (JNET) and the Delaware Valley Intelligence Center, the statement said. A PPD directive \u201crequires case-specific justification and supervisory approval, and prohibits general surveillance or crowd monitoring.\u201d<\/p>\n The police operate 125 license-plate recognition cameras through security software provider Genetec, and have the ability to do plate recognition through most patrol vehicles via an Axon Fleet 3 system, although that is not yet active. \u201cThese systems use AI to identify license plates and match them against law enforcement databases. Their use is governed by departmental policy to ensure investigative integrity and data security,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n PPD also recently started flying Skydio X10 drones<\/a>, which \u201cuse onboard AI to support autonomous flight functions such as obstacle avoidance, low-light navigation, precision landings, and pre-programmed flight paths.\u201d The AI is \u201cstrictly limited to flight safety and navigation, and does not include facial recognition or identity-matching capabilities,\u201d the deparment said. Drone missions are monitored by licensed pilots.<\/p>\n The maker of the Skydio X10 drone advertises it as being \u201cpiloted by the most advanced AI in the sky.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In addition, police body-worn cameras have a built-in transcription feature that converts audio into text. Those transcripts are not used for any kind of predictive report writing or automated decision-making, per PPD.<\/p>\n The police department has been exploring AI systems for years, officials said. In 2013, for example, it tried out Hunchlab, \u201ca predictive policing tool designed to forecast crime grids,\u201d the statement said. No such systems are currently in use.<\/p>\n It\u2019s currently evaluating a real-time language translation tool and an Axon Dedrone system to track unauthorized drones, but those are not being used for police operations. While the city is testing Microsoft Copilot\u2019s generative AI in other departments, that system \u201cdoes not have access to sensitive law enforcement systems or data,\u201d the statement said. \u201cPPD is in the early stages of evaluating AI tools and any future use will be subject to rigorous legal, ethical, and operational review.\u201d<\/p>\n No collaboration with ICE AI, officials say<\/p>\n During the hearing, Bray deferred on answering a question about whether the city would participate in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s use of AI to identify and detain immigrants<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n PPD subsequently confirmed that it does not collaborate with ICE, Homeland Security, \u201cor any federal agency on AI initiatives related to immigration enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n The department also said it has not entered into any agreements or discussions with the Trump administration regarding AI-based anti-drone initiatives for World Cup security ahead of next summer\u2019s soccer games taking place at Lincoln Financial Field.<\/p>\n Mayor Cherelle Parker has generally declined to directly answer questions<\/a> about ICE\u2019s mass deportation efforts, although officials have said Philadelphia\u2019s status as a sanctuary or \u201cwelcoming\u201d city that limits cooperation with federal immigration agencies has not changed since she took office.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AI-hearing-Isaiah-Thomas-videograb-2-101516.png\")
From left, Philadelphia City Council members Rue Landau, Isaiah Thomas, and Jimmy Harrity participated in a hearing on artificial intelligence technology held at PhillyCAM. Oct. 15, 2025. (Courtesy of PhillyCAM)<\/p>\n