Clearview AI Is Testing an AI Tool That Would Let Cops Unearth Your Life Online

Clearview AI, the controversial facial recognition technology company, is reportedly testing a new AI tool called InquiryIQ. This experimental tool is designed to automatically gather information from the internet based on details gathered from a Clearview search.

The interface of InquiryIQ states that providing age, gender, and race can help the system make "smarter decisions" during its searches. One of the models used by InquiryIQ comes from SpaceXAI, the SpaceX and xAI company created by Elon Musk. This raises concerns about the potential for biased outputs, as Musk has been known to promote controversial AI systems.

Experts suggest that AI tools like InquiryIQ could significantly speed up police investigations by compressing days or weeks of detective work into mere minutes. While this could potentially help solve crimes faster, it also lowers the cost of fishing expeditions, allowing police to scrutinize more individuals they might otherwise not investigate. The unpredictable nature of generative AI could also make it challenging to determine why the system pursued specific leads.

Clearview states that InquiryIQ is merely a prototype that has not been released to customers and is not currently planned for release in its current form. The company insists that InquiryIQ is a limited tool for automating web searches that detectives already perform, rather than an automated investigator. Clearview CEO Amos Kyler confirms that no law enforcement user has ever used InquiryIQ.

However, WIRED discovered InquiryIQ's code and interface files in Clearview's login page files sent to visitors' browsers. These files contain thousands of lines of text describing how Clearview designed and described InquiryIQ, but they do not reveal the tool's actual performance or usage. Clearview emphasizes that the tool's complete interface does not imply a near-release product. Modern AI tools have made rapid prototyping possible, according to the company.