politics

A Brazilian Startup Is Betting on AI to Fight Crime. Critics See a Surveillance State

Erick Coser found himself at gunpoint. It was March 2024, and he was standing at the door of his girlfriend’s São Paulo apartment building when an unmasked man arrived by food delivery bike. He pulled out a pistol and demanded Coser’s phone and the six-digit code protecting it. Share the wrong combination, the attacker warned, and he’d pull the trigger.

A Brazilian Startup Is Betting on AI to Fight Crime. Critics See a Surveillance State

TL;DR

  • Erick Coser was subjected to a robbery at gunpoint in São Paulo.
  • The incident occurred in March 2024 as Coser stood at his girlfriend's apartment building.
  • The perpetrator, who arrived on a food delivery bike, demanded Coser's phone and its six-digit unlock code.
  • The attacker issued a threat of violence if the wrong code was provided.