Senate Panel Summons CEOs of AI Surveillance Firms Over Privacy Concerns

The chief executive officers of four prominent companies, including Flock Safety, have been summoned to testify before a Senate panel next week as lawmakers intensify scrutiny over AI-powered surveillance cameras and their potential impact on American privacy. The hearing, titled "Always Watching: Flock’s Nationwide AI Surveillance Network," is scheduled to be held by the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism on September 23.

Subcommittee Chairman Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., stated his objective is to ascertain who has access to the vast amounts of data collected by these surveillance networks and how it is being utilized. "Americans do not surrender their privacy rights when they drive to work, drop their kids off at school, or go to church," Hawley said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "I’m investigating these companies to determine WHO has access to hundreds of millions of Americans’ data - and what they’re doing with it."

Invited to testify are Garrett Langley, CEO of Flock Safety; Rick Smith, CEO of Axon Enterprise Inc.; Greg Brown, CEO of Motorola Solutions; and Filip Kaliszan, CEO of Verkada. The companies have been contacted for comment.

AI-powered surveillance cameras have faced increasing criticism from lawmakers concerned that the technology tracks individuals' movements without justification, even when no crime is being committed. This scrutiny has led to actions at the state level. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ordered the removal of license plate reader cameras from state roads, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies to cease spending on Flock Safety cameras amid privacy concerns.

Flock Safety cameras, along with similar technologies, utilize artificial intelligence to automatically track and identify vehicles and license plates, often for use by local law enforcement. Growing nationwide concern questions the legality and ethics of such AI-backed systems tracking vehicle movements without warrants or driver consent.

Approximately 120,000 Flock Safety cameras are currently in operation across the United States, with the exception of Alaska. Opposition to these cameras has emerged from diverse political perspectives. Republican lawmakers cite concerns about privacy rights, government overreach, and warrantless surveillance. Meanwhile, socialist and communist organizations have integrated opposition to Flock cameras into broader campaigns against artificial intelligence, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, and data center development, describing the situation as an emerging "police state" or "AI surveillance state."

Some political figures have expressed support for the technology. Former President Donald Trump has stated his support for Flock Safety cameras, citing their utility for law enforcement. Conversely, far-left organizations, reportedly linked to a network funded by Shanghai-based tech businessman Neville Roy Singham, have organized local opposition to Flock Safety cameras and simultaneously campaigned against new data center projects. This contrasts with Republican leaders who champion data center construction as part of national technology and infrastructure goals.

Notable actions against the technology include campaigns by the Party for Socialism and Liberation in Denver and Tucson, which have partnered with groups like Indivisible and the Sunrise Movement. These collaborations have organized public forums and gatherings to highlight alleged links between data centers and mass surveillance, framing both as tools serving corporate interests rather than public good. Advertisements for these events have declared, "IT'S ALL CONNECTED," suggesting a unified front against what they perceive as interconnected systems of surveillance and data exploitation.