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Incident 36: Picture of Woman on Side of Bus Shamed for Jaywalking

Description: Facial recognition system in China mistakes celebrity's face on moving billboard for jaywalker

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Entities

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Alleged: Ningbo traffic police developed and deployed an AI system, which harmed Dong Mingzhu.

Incident Stats

Incident ID
36
Report Count
24
Incident Date
2018-11-06
Editors
Sean McGregor
Applied Taxonomies
CSETv0, GMF, CSETv1, MIT

CSETv0 Taxonomy Classifications

Taxonomy Details

Problem Nature

Indicates which, if any, of the following types of AI failure describe the incident: "Specification," i.e. the system's behavior did not align with the true intentions of its designer, operator, etc; "Robustness," i.e. the system operated unsafely because of features or changes in its environment, or in the inputs the system received; "Assurance," i.e. the system could not be adequately monitored or controlled during operation.
 

Robustness

Physical System

Where relevant, indicates whether the AI system(s) was embedded into or tightly associated with specific types of hardware.
 

Software only, Other:CCTV cameras, displays

Level of Autonomy

The degree to which the AI system(s) functions independently from human intervention. "High" means there is no human involved in the system action execution; "Medium" means the system generates a decision and a human oversees the resulting action; "low" means the system generates decision-support output and a human makes a decision and executes an action.
 

Medium

Nature of End User

"Expert" if users with special training or technical expertise were the ones meant to benefit from the AI system(s)’ operation; "Amateur" if the AI systems were primarily meant to benefit the general public or untrained users.
 

Amateur

Public Sector Deployment

"Yes" if the AI system(s) involved in the accident were being used by the public sector or for the administration of public goods (for example, public transportation). "No" if the system(s) were being used in the private sector or for commercial purposes (for example, a ride-sharing company), on the other.
 

Yes

Data Inputs

A brief description of the data that the AI system(s) used or were trained on.
 

photographs of people's facial features

GMF Taxonomy Classifications

Taxonomy Details

Known AI Goal Snippets

One or more snippets that justify the classification.
 

(Snippet Text: Chinese AI traffic cam mistook a bus ad for a human and publicly shamed the CEO it depicted for jaywalking

, Related Classifications: Face Recognition)

Known AI Goal Classification Discussion

Free text with comments justifying the chosen classification (e.g. based on information on selected snippets and technical analysis), if needed.
 

Face Recognition: i.e. the context of ‘not a living human’ was not detected in order to produce a negative result on the face detection part of the recognition pipeline.

CSETv1 Taxonomy Classifications

Taxonomy Details

Incident Number

The number of the incident in the AI Incident Database.
 

36

AI Tangible Harm Level Notes

Notes about the AI tangible harm level assessment
 

3.5 - Although no harm occurred because the mistake was identified, Risk to the affected party was imminent.

Special Interest Intangible Harm

An assessment of whether a special interest intangible harm occurred. This assessment does not consider the context of the intangible harm, if an AI was involved, or if there is characterizable class or subgroup of harmed entities. It is also not assessing if an intangible harm occurred. It is only asking if a special interest intangible harm occurred.
 

no

Date of Incident Year

The year in which the incident occurred. If there are multiple harms or occurrences of the incident, list the earliest. If a precise date is unavailable, but the available sources provide a basis for estimating the year, estimate. Otherwise, leave blank. Enter in the format of YYYY
 

2018

Date of Incident Month

The month in which the incident occurred. If there are multiple harms or occurrences of the incident, list the earliest. If a precise date is unavailable, but the available sources provide a basis for estimating the month, estimate. Otherwise, leave blank. Enter in the format of MM
 

11

Date of Incident Day

The day on which the incident occurred. If a precise date is unavailable, leave blank. Enter in the format of DD
 

21

MIT Taxonomy Classifications

Machine-Classified
Taxonomy Details

Risk Subdomain

A further 23 subdomains create an accessible and understandable classification of hazards and harms associated with AI
 

7.3. Lack of capability or robustness

Risk Domain

The Domain Taxonomy of AI Risks classifies risks into seven AI risk domains: (1) Discrimination & toxicity, (2) Privacy & security, (3) Misinformation, (4) Malicious actors & misuse, (5) Human-computer interaction, (6) Socioeconomic & environmental harms, and (7) AI system safety, failures & limitations.
 
  1. AI system safety, failures, and limitations

Entity

Which, if any, entity is presented as the main cause of the risk
 

AI

Timing

The stage in the AI lifecycle at which the risk is presented as occurring
 

Post-deployment

Intent

Whether the risk is presented as occurring as an expected or unexpected outcome from pursuing a goal
 

Unintentional

Incident Reports

Reports Timeline

+1
Chinese AI traffic cam mistook a bus ad for a human and publicly shamed the CEO it depicted for jaywalking
+8
Chinese facial recognition system mistakes a face on a bus for a jaywalker
+11
Chinese Face Recognition Mistakes Bus Ad For Jaywalker
2018 in Review: 10 AI FailuresDong Mingzhu reelected as Gree head
Chinese AI traffic cam mistook a bus ad for a human and publicly shamed the CEO it depicted for jaywalking

Chinese AI traffic cam mistook a bus ad for a human and publicly shamed the CEO it depicted for jaywalking

boingboing.net

Chinese facial recognition system mistakes a face on a bus for a jaywalker

Chinese facial recognition system mistakes a face on a bus for a jaywalker

theverge.com

AI Mistakes Bus-Side Ad for Famous CEO, Charges Her With Jaywalking

AI Mistakes Bus-Side Ad for Famous CEO, Charges Her With Jaywalking

caixinglobal.com

Chinese facial recognition system catches jaywalker, turns out to be a bus

Chinese facial recognition system catches jaywalker, turns out to be a bus

mashable.com

Facial recognition system in China mistakes celebrity's face on moving billboard for jaywalker - Asean+

Facial recognition system in China mistakes celebrity's face on moving billboard for jaywalker - Asean+

thestar.com.my

Chinese facial recognition system confuses bus ad with a jaywalker

Chinese facial recognition system confuses bus ad with a jaywalker

engadget.com

Facial recognition catches China’s air con queen Dong Mingzhu jaywalking, but turns out to be ...

Facial recognition catches China’s air con queen Dong Mingzhu jaywalking, but turns out to be ...

article.wn.com

Facial recognition system accuses woman in bus ad of jaywalking

Facial recognition system accuses woman in bus ad of jaywalking

theinquirer.net

Facial recognition snares China’s air con queen Dong Mingzhu for jaywalking, but it’s not what it seems

Facial recognition snares China’s air con queen Dong Mingzhu for jaywalking, but it’s not what it seems

scmp.com

Facial recognition system mistakes bus ad for jaywalker

Facial recognition system mistakes bus ad for jaywalker

cnet.com

Chinese Face Recognition Mistakes Bus Ad For Jaywalker

Chinese Face Recognition Mistakes Bus Ad For Jaywalker

technovelgy.com

Chinese businesswoman accused of jaywalking after AI camera spots her face on an advert

Chinese businesswoman accused of jaywalking after AI camera spots her face on an advert

telegraph.co.uk

Businesswoman in China caught ‘jaywalking’ because her face was on a bus

Businesswoman in China caught ‘jaywalking’ because her face was on a bus

techinasia.com

Facial recognition system in China mistakes bus ad for jaywalker

Facial recognition system in China mistakes bus ad for jaywalker

biometricupdate.com

AI snaps business titan jaywalking

AI snaps business titan jaywalking

theregister.co.uk

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face

npr.org

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face

capradio.org

Facial Recognition Flags Woman On Bus Ad For 'Jaywalking' In China

Facial Recognition Flags Woman On Bus Ad For 'Jaywalking' In China

gizmodo.com.au

Chinese AI caught out by face in bus ad

Chinese AI caught out by face in bus ad

bbc.com

Chinese facial recognition flags bus ad woman for jaywalking

Chinese facial recognition flags bus ad woman for jaywalking

iottechnews.com

China's AI Camera Mistakes CEO's Photo On Moving Bus For Real Person, Shames Her For Jaywalking

China's AI Camera Mistakes CEO's Photo On Moving Bus For Real Person, Shames Her For Jaywalking

indiatimes.com

Jaywalking AI Mistakenly Shames Woman in Advertisement

Jaywalking AI Mistakenly Shames Woman in Advertisement

insights.globalspec.com

2018 in Review: 10 AI Failures

2018 in Review: 10 AI Failures

medium.com

Dong Mingzhu reelected as Gree head

Dong Mingzhu reelected as Gree head

chinadaily.com.cn

Chinese AI traffic cam mistook a bus ad for a human and publicly shamed the CEO it depicted for jaywalking
boingboing.net · 2018

Chinese AI traffic cam mistook a bus ad for a human and publicly shamed the CEO it depicted for jaywalking

China's war on jaywalking went to the next level last spring when AI-based facial recognition systems were integrated into some cross…

Chinese facial recognition system mistakes a face on a bus for a jaywalker
theverge.com · 2018

China’s facial recognition systems are used to catch all types of criminals, from thieves to jaywalkers, in real time. This week, one facial recognition camera publicly shamed a famous business woman for jaywalking after its systems caught …

AI Mistakes Bus-Side Ad for Famous CEO, Charges Her With Jaywalking
caixinglobal.com · 2018

Cities across China have debuted crime-fighting facial recognition technology to much fanfare over the past year. But some of these jaywalker-busting devices aren’t as impressive as they seem.

A facial recognition system in the city of Ning…

Chinese facial recognition system catches jaywalker, turns out to be a bus
mashable.com · 2018

China hasn't been shy about using facial recognition tech to catch jaywalkers, and publicly shame them.

The technology aims to dissuade bad behaviour by recognising the offender's face, checking it with a database, then posting their inform…

Facial recognition system in China mistakes celebrity's face on moving billboard for jaywalker - Asean+
thestar.com.my · 2018

While China has moved ahead of the rest of the world in making facial recognition technology a part of people’s everyday life, there are systems in the country that need tweaking.

Making a compelling case for change is the recent experience…

Chinese facial recognition system confuses bus ad with a jaywalker
engadget.com · 2018

The police have since deleted the infraction and claim they've upgraded the facial recognition technology to "reduce the false recognition rate," although it's unclear just what they could have done to address this specific issue.

While com…

Facial recognition catches China’s air con queen Dong Mingzhu jaywalking, but turns out to be ...
article.wn.com · 2018

While China has moved ahead of the rest of the world in making facial recognition technology a part of people’s everyday life, there are systems in the country that need tweaking. Making a compelling case for change is the recent experience…

Facial recognition system accuses woman in bus ad of jaywalking
theinquirer.net · 2018

IF YOU RELY on facial recognition for aspects of your criminal justice system, you'd better hope it's reliable. So it may be reassuring to people concerned that China would use the technology to casually violate human rights that it's foole…

Facial recognition snares China’s air con queen Dong Mingzhu for jaywalking, but it’s not what it seems
scmp.com · 2018

The face of Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Shenzhen-listed Gree Electric Appliances, is splashed on a huge screen erected along a street in Ningbo, a city in the eastern coastal province of Zhejiang, to display the images of people caught jayw…

Facial recognition system mistakes bus ad for jaywalker
cnet.com · 2018

NurPhoto

China is increasingly dependent on facial recognition systems to name and shame citizens who jaywalk, but it reportedly hit a snag this week.

A camera at an intersection in the eastern city of Ningbo named famous businesswoman Dong…

Chinese Face Recognition Mistakes Bus Ad For Jaywalker
technovelgy.com · 2018

Chinese Face Recognition Mistakes Bus Ad For Jaywalker

China has been using gait recognition as well as face recognition to automate the ticketing of jaywalkers, much like cameras are used in the USA to ticket people who run red lights. How…

Chinese businesswoman accused of jaywalking after AI camera spots her face on an advert
telegraph.co.uk · 2018

Chinese police have admitted to wrongly shaming a famous businesswoman after a facial recognition system designed to catch jaywalkers mistook an advert on the side of a bus for her actual face.

Dong Mingzhu, president of Chian's biggest air…

Businesswoman in China caught ‘jaywalking’ because her face was on a bus
techinasia.com · 2018

Chinese cities have widely deployed facial recognition systems on their streets to catch and fine jaywalkers, but sometimes they don’t work as planned.

At one intersection in the eastern city of Ningbo, the face of famous Chinese businesswo…

Facial recognition system in China mistakes bus ad for jaywalker
biometricupdate.com · 2018

A system deployed by the Chinese government to identify jaywalkers, reportedly using real-time facial recognition, has mistakenly identified a celebrity as an offender after scanning her face from an advertisement on the side of a passing b…

AI snaps business titan jaywalking
theregister.co.uk · 2018

AI facial recog – it's all about as terrifying as this hokey stock picture suggests (whose subject is not Dong Mingzhu).

#F_AI_L An Artificial Intelligence system in China publicly shamed one of the country’s most prominent business executi…

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face
npr.org · 2018

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face

If you're caught jaywalking in China, your photo could be put on display as punishment. Just like a woman whose face was on a bus ad when it went by the camera. Police are fixing the …

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face
capradio.org · 2018

Traffic Cam In China Mistakes Bus Ad For Real Human Face

NPR

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Listen / Update Required To play audio, update browser or To play audio, update browser or Flash plugin

Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://w…

Facial Recognition Flags Woman On Bus Ad For 'Jaywalking' In China
gizmodo.com.au · 2018

Photo: Getty

China’s surveillance system is becoming increasingly omnipresent, with an estimated 200 million cameras and counting. While this state of existence alone is unsettling, it’s even more troubling that the machines are fucking up …

Chinese AI caught out by face in bus ad
bbc.com · 2018

Over-zealous AI systems in China have accused a woman pictured on the side of a bus of jaywalking.

The face of Dong Mingzhu, who heads China's biggest air-conditioner maker, was briefly shown on a billboard used to shame those who flout tra…

Chinese facial recognition flags bus ad woman for jaywalking
iottechnews.com · 2018

A woman has been flagged for jaywalking by facial recognition tech in a Chinese city, only she wasn’t even there.

The woman in question was Dong Mingzhu, Chairwoman of China’s biggest maker of air conditioners, Gree Electric Appliances.

Min…

China's AI Camera Mistakes CEO's Photo On Moving Bus For Real Person, Shames Her For Jaywalking
indiatimes.com · 2018

It's not a big deal to jaywalk in India. Eight times out of ten, no one will even notice. But if you jaywalk in China, you might have to face something extremely embarrassing. While China has moved ahead of the rest of the world making faci…

Jaywalking AI Mistakenly Shames Woman in Advertisement
insights.globalspec.com · 2018

Artificial intelligence designed to shame jaywalkers in Ningbo, China, has backfired in recent days by misidentifying a woman in an advertisement on the side of a city bus as a jaywalking culprit.

Dong Mingzhu, who was in the ad and is head…

2018 in Review: 10 AI Failures
medium.com · 2018

Last December Synced compiled its first “Artificial Intelligence Failures” recap of AI gaffes from the previous year. AI has achieved remarkable progress, and many scientists dream of creating the Master Algorithm proposed by Pedro Domingos…

Dong Mingzhu reelected as Gree head
chinadaily.com.cn · 2019

Dong Mingzhu, president of Gree electronic appliances, during the 2018 APEC Conference on July 7, 2018. [Photo/VCG]

China home appliance queen Dong Mingzhu was confirmed to enter her seventh year as the chairwoman of of Gree Electric Applia…

Variants

A "variant" is an incident that shares the same causative factors, produces similar harms, and involves the same intelligent systems as a known AI incident. Rather than index variants as entirely separate incidents, we list variations of incidents under the first similar incident submitted to the database. Unlike other submission types to the incident database, variants are not required to have reporting in evidence external to the Incident Database. Learn more from the research paper.

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