Taipei councilor slams $400,000 AI smoking detection system as 'failed old tech'

Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng has strongly criticized the city government's plan to invest $400,000 in a new AI smoking detection and deterrence system. She argues that the initiative is a misguided attempt to reintroduce a failed concept, labeling it as "putting failed old things in disguise as innovation."

Lin pointed to a previous trial of a similar AI detection system conducted outside the Taipei City Hospital's Renai Branch. That pilot project, which cost $1.16 million, was reportedly deemed a failure in the health bureau's own conclusion report. The issues cited included excessive broadcast volume that disturbed residents and patients, and inaccurate AI judgments that wrongly identified people raising their hands or touching their faces as smokers, leading to unfair treatment and discrimination.

Adding to the criticism, Lin questioned the practicality of enforcement, asking how tickets would be issued for violations detected by the system. She also highlighted the recent removal of controversial "prison-like" smoking area barriers in Wanhua District, which were installed just two months prior, as another example of wasteful spending and poor policy implementation.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an responded by stating that the new AI system is a cross-departmental effort integrated into the city's overall smoke-free city planning. He assured that the current implementation focuses on "deterrence" and that the city is adopting newer AI technology. This advanced system will reportedly incorporate multiple detection methods, including smoke and temperature sensors, in addition to analyzing body movements, to improve accuracy. However, Lin remains skeptical, warning that the city should not repeatedly make the same mistakes and waste taxpayer money on policies with significant implementation challenges.