US: Anti-AI Activism May Lead to Intelligence Surveillance

US law enforcement agencies have started monitoring activities they classify as 'anti-technology violent extremism.' As reported by Wired, citing internal FBI, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and regional intelligence center documents, opponents of rapid artificial intelligence development and related infrastructure have come under scrutiny.

The reports mention that the swift adoption of AI creates a 'chaotic atmosphere' that could trigger mass protests and escalate into extremist actions. Special attention is given to monitoring data centers serving neural networks. For instance, the Northern Virginia Regional Intelligence Center considers even photographing such facilities as suspicious, viewing it as a sign of 'hostile actors.'

Experts express concerns that this new threat category could be used to persecute legitimate AI industry opponents. Spencer Reynolds, an attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, notes that such reports often rely on subjective assessments and may reflect biases of law enforcement personnel. He warns that broadening the definition of extremism threatens freedom of expression and could lead to increased surveillance of social movements.

While the term 'anti-technology violent extremism' does not yet appear in public FBI or DHS documents, its inclusion in classified reports indicates growing government attention to criticism of technological progress. Activists fear such measures could become a tool for suppressing dissent in the IT sector.