Surveillance group exposes disturbing Huawei patent for AI-powered Uighur detection
A range of Chinese tech firms have filed patents for systems that identify ethnic groups
Huawei’s ‘target object’ patent
The Huawei patent describes AI techniques for identifying pedestrians by attributes including “race (Han [China’s biggest ethnic group], Uighur).”
It was originally filed in July 2018 by Huawei and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
Huawei told IVPM that the Uighur detection “should never have become part of the [patent] application” and that the firm is “taking proactive steps to amend” it.
Beyond Huawei
IPVM also flagged patents filed by Megvii and AI giant SenseTime for systems capable of recognizing Uighurs. Megviitold the BBCit would “withdraw” the patent.
SenseTime said its patent was “regrettable” and that the firm would “update” it “at the next available opportunity on record.”
IPVM further revealed patents filed by Chinese tech firms Alibaba and Baibu that mention classification by ethnicity, although neither refers specifically to Uighurs.
Alibaba told IVPM that “ethnic discrimination… violates our policies and values, while Huawei said it had “never developed or permitted its technology to profile any ethnic group.”
This collection of patents alongside further systems exposed by IPVM show that the development of ethnicity detection AI in China goes way beyond one company.
Story byThomas Macaulay
Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.Thomas is a senior reporter at TNW. He covers European tech, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, and government policy.
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