Forbes Daily: New Flock Of AI Surveillance Has Privacy Experts Worried

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Police will soon be able to use Flock Safety's AI-powered cameras for surveillance, and privacy experts are concerned.
The $7.5 billion car surveillance company already has a network of tens of thousands of smart license plate readers, and starting this fall, cops will be able to use them as more traditional surveillance cameras, requesting live feeds or clips from the time when a vehicle passes through its field of vision.
Flock's CEO Garrett Langley told Forbes that the update should give police more 'situational awareness,' but civil liberties experts have worried for years about the company's expansion. Jay Stanley, technology director at the ACLU, worries Flock 'is trying to build a nationwide authoritarian surveillance system.'
Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
In a new lawsuit, Reddit accused AI startup Anthropic of training its models on Reddit users' personal data without permission, even after telling the social media company it would stop doing so. Several AI firms have aimed to use Reddit's forums to train models, and the company has struck deals with OpenAI and Google.
President Donald Trump issued a travel ban barring people in 12 countries—primarily from the Middle East and Africa—from visiting the U.S. The proclamation cites visa overstay rates for most of the impacted countries and cites terrorism concerns with Iran, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Cuba and others. The order includes a number of exceptions to the travel ban, including lawful permanent U.S. residents, diplomats, athletes and more.
Private sector hiring grew at its slowest pace in over two years, a new report from payroll processor firm ADP shows, leading President Donald Trump to again push for the politically independent Federal Reserve to slash interest rates. A report from the Labor Department this Friday will offer a key window into the employment picture, with economists expecting unemployment to rise to 4.5%, a rate not seen since October 2021 as the economy recovered from the pandemic.
A new bill that passed the House calls on federal agencies to write all new small business contracts using 'plain language,' potentially helping level the playing field for smaller firms that have long complained that federal contracts are too difficult to understand. But there's a major payoff for firms that do break through the legal language and maze of requirements: $183 million worth of federal contracts went to small firms in fiscal year 2024.
Sunny Varkey and Gautam Adani
The chairman of one of the world's largest K-12 private school networks is teaming up with India's second-richest person, Gautam Adani, to open 20 schools in India over the next three years. Dubai-based GEMS Education will operate the schools with Adani in a joint venture, which will handle everything from management to teacher recruitment and training.
Businesses today face new risks to their data, from fraudsters working on the inside to employees giving away company secrets to ChatGPT. But Seattle-based cyber startup MIND says its AI can help IT teams secure sensitive data, and on Wednesday, the company said it raised $30 million at a $101 million valuation.
U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene
The future of President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' could be less certain after several Republicans who voted for the legislation said they were unaware of certain provisions and threatened to vote against it when it returns to the lower chamber. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she is opposed to an included prohibition on state-level AI regulations for the next 10 years, while Rep. Mike Flood (R-Neb.) came out against a provision that would make it more burdensome for federal judges to hold people in contempt.
The Department of Education said Columbia University violated federal anti-discrimination laws and failed to meet accreditation standards over its handling of pro-Palestinian protests last year. The department said in a statement that Columbia 'acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students,' the Trump Administration's latest scrutiny of the school.
MORE: In a proclamation signed Wednesday night, Trump suspended entry into the U.S. of any new Harvard University student or researcher under the F, M or J student and exchange visitor visas. The move does not impact international students attending other U.S. universities. In a statement, a university spokesperson said the order is a 'violation of Harvard's First Amendment rights.'
President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him he wants to 'strongly' retaliate against Ukraine's surprise drone strikes last weekend. The U.S. president announced the call—which was not expected, and lasted over an hour—after the two leaders exchanged criticisms last month.
Good Night and Good Fortune: George Clooney's Tony-nominated Broadway debut recouped its $9.5 million investment in less than two months.
Whether it's the purity or the prestige of acting on stage—A-list stars have become a vital part of the Broadway ecosystem.
Take George Clooney—who cowrote, produced and stars in the stage adaptation of Good Night, and Good Luck. The play is nominated for five Tony Awards at this Sunday's ceremony, including Clooney for Best Actor, and has broken weekly box office records as the highest-grossing non-musical play in history.
Forbes estimates the 64-year-old Clooney will earn $6 million in salary and gross royalties for his numerous roles in the show, more than any other theater performer over that span, but a fraction of what Hollywood's highest-paid actors can expect to make on each movie project.
While Hollywood stars have made appearances on Broadway for decades, in recent years, producers and investors have been increasingly eager to stage these short-run, star-driven productions, which considerably lower their financial risk. Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal currently headline Othello, while Kieren Culkin, Bob Odenkirk and Bill Burr lead Glengarry Glen Ross. In April, Gladiator II star Paul Mescal wrapped up a run in A Streetcar Named Desire.
And this season, producers are realizing just how far they can push the ticket pricing with a bankable star, particularly for the most expensive seats. Average ticket prices for Good Night, and Good Luck, Othello and Glengarry Glen Ross hover between $250-$400, and premium seats have routinely sold in the $700-$900 range.
'It does seem that theatergoers want to see Hollywood celebrities, in the same space at the same time. They crave that experience,' says one major Broadway dealmaker. 'And for the star? A standing ovation from a thousand people every night doesn't hurt the ego.'
WHY IT MATTERS 'Unfortunately, I think $800 Broadway tickets are probably here to stay as long as its producers can keep convincing A-list stars to take three months out of their schedule to slum it as a thespian on stage,' says Forbes reporter Matt Craig. 'No matter how high the prices climb or how low the reviews stoop, it seems George Clooney, Denzel Washington or Robert Downey Jr. can all-but guarantee you a sold-out theater. And if you're a star like Clooney, all the money in the world can't make you the toast of the town the way some black hair dye and a long monologue about speaking truth to power has done for him over the past 12 weeks.'
MORE The Highest-Paid Actors Of 2024
One of President Donald Trump's New Jersey golf clubs was flagged for multiple violations in a recent health inspection, earning the lowest grade in Somerset County. The club was out of compliance with all three requirements in the 'food protected from contamination' category:
18: The number of violations that Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster received—nine of which were deemed critical, meaning they 'may result in an unacceptable health risk'
32 out of 100: The club's score, the lowest out of roughly 115 retail food establishments inspected in Somerset County in May
C: The 'conditionally satisfactory' grade issued to the club, which is required to display a placard with the grade in a visible location
Career breaks get a bad reputation, but taking extended time off can help professionals replenish their mental, emotional and creative energy. When planning a break from work, be intentional, and consider what support you need and what insights or experiences you want to gain from the time off. Organizations can help their employees be healthier and more productive by offering formal sabbatical programs that workers can opt into every three to five years.
A country in Asia will attempt to land on the moon Thursday afternoon. Which country is it?
A. China
B. Japan
C. Indonesia
D. India
Check your answer.
Thanks for reading! This edition of Forbes Daily was edited by Sarah Whitmire and Chris Dobstaff.