The Future of Policing Is Being Hashed Out in Secret

The revelation that the New Orleans Police Department quietly used a Silicon Valley company to predict crime raises dilemmas similar to those emerging from artificial intelligence in other spheres, like consumer behavior, medicine and employment. But what's uniquely shocking about the story of New Orleans's partnership with the national security company Palantir is that it has remained largely unreported before now.

As an article in The Verge details, James Carville, the well-known Democratic strategist and Bill Clinton adviser, did actually mention the partnership on a radio program back in 2014. He knew about it for a simple reason: It was his idea (at least according to Carville). By his account, Palantir was looking for “pro bono” opportunities, which is often code for a corporate dry run for untested technology. Carville connected Palantir to New Orleans, and the relationship was established on a “philanthropic” basis -- thus effectively circumventing disclosure requirements.