Michael Kemper, Chief Security Officer at MTA, said the agency plans to use artificial intelligence technology to predict undesired behavior before it occurs in the subway system. Aaron Donavan, the spokesman for MTA, stated that AI-powered surveillance system technology will be used to identify bad behavior and not invade people’s privacy.
Kemper revealed he is working with AI technology companies to deploy software to analyze real-time footage from subway cameras. He said the software will be able to issue automated alerts to the NYPD if defiant behavior is detected. Kemper referred to the technology as Predictive Prevention, which can identify subway criminals before they commit crimes.
MTA reveals plans to use AI to flag bad behavior in NYC subways
Kemper confirmed in a committee meeting on Monday that MTA is working with AI technology companies to be able to see what’s going on in the subway in real time. The Chief Security Officer at MTA confirmed that AI will make the NYPD capable of predicting and catching bad actors before they commit crimes.Â
The transit agency's head of security said the technology could be used to help prevent crimes before they happen: https://t.co/YmBRff6CUr pic.twitter.com/aMFYsO3FUG
— Gothamist (@Gothamist) April 30, 2025
MTA spokesperson Donovan clarified that the agency only aims to use AI for surveillance purposes, not facial recognition. He assured the public that AI-powered surveillance is designed to explore and identify behaviors, not violate people’s privacy.Â
Governor Kathy Hochul argued that using an AI surveillance system will allow the state of New York to address safety concerns among riders. She revealed there have been a string of unprovoked attacks in the subway system, including several riders being shoved onto the tracks in recent years.
The New York State Police stated that NYPD data on major felonies in the subway are down from pre-pandemic levels. The police statement revealed that the number of assaults reported in the system remained high, with 10 people murdered in the subways in the past year alone.
Gov. Hochul mentioned that she has been campaigning for increased video surveillance in the transit system since she took office in 2021. She confirmed that the MTA now has security cameras on every subway platform and inside every train car. Kemper, Chief Security Officer at MTA, revealed that about 40% of the platform cameras are monitored in real-time.
Critics believe video surveillance and monitoring is a bridge too far to improve public safety
The criminal justice system criticized the MTA’s use of AI to identify potential criminals, citing that it’s beyond reason in their quest for public safety. The criminal justice watchdog believes using AI technology is highly unreliable and biased in monitoring their subways. They believe this will put their police department at risk and create new problems.  Â
Justin Harrison, the senior policy counsel in the NYC Liberty Union, argued that the surveillance state shouldn’t be a price they pay for safety. He wrote that real safety comes from investing in their communities, not omnipresent surveillance.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy threatened to withhold Federal funding if the agency could not provide a concrete plan to reduce crime and homelessness in the subways. According to the letter written to MTA by Duffy, many of the demands made are available online and discussed during MTA’s monthly board meetings.
MTA revealed in a fare evasion report in 2023 that they used AI-powered surveillance software to track fare evaders on the subway by monitoring how fare evasion takes place.
Cryptopolitan Academy: Tired of market swings? Learn how DeFi can help you build steady passive income. Register Now
