The NSA’s mass surveillance programs that extend all over the globe have been a target of criticism. Even former contractors, employees, and, of course, other critics pointed out that data collection is so huge. It is big so finding some useful information is like finding a needle in a haystack. However, mass surveillance in combination with AI changes everything.
They collect everything. An unimaginable data size
The exact size of the NSA’s data servers isn’t public. However, estimates suggest it’s incredibly vast. One of the key facilities that gives some insight into their capacity is the Utah Data Center. This facility, completed in 2014, was built specifically to store massive amounts of digital data. It includes communications intercepted through various surveillance programs.
Experts have speculated about the possible capacity of these servers. Some believe it could range from exabytes to zettabytes. To put it in perspective, one exabyte is one million terabytes. A zettabyte is even larger – 1,000 exabytes. These are huge numbers, beyond what most individuals or even corporations handle.
The NSA’s capacity goes beyond just storage. They store not only phone records and emails but also encrypted files, financial data, and other types of large datasets. This means the scale of storage needs is continually growing. The Utah Data Center is just one part of a much larger infrastructure that the NSA operates. Other facilities around the U.S. and globally contribute to their immense data storage and processing power.
Their system doesn’t just collect data – it processes and analyzes it. AI and machine learning are used to sift through vast amounts of information. These tools make it possible to find patterns and specific targets quickly. So while the exact numbers aren’t confirmed, experts agree that the NSA has one of the largest data storage capacities in the world.
The emergence of AI and USA dictatorial tendencies make it scary: no longer a needle in a haystack
AI is changing everything when it comes to surveillance. It is no longer about finding a needle in a haystack. Before AI, searching through massive amounts of data was slow and inefficient. Analysts had to sift through records, one by one. This process took time and often missed crucial connections.
Now, AI can scan huge datasets almost instantly. It doesn’t just store information. It finds patterns. Algorithms process emails, phone records, and social media posts in real time. They detect trends and predict behaviors. AI makes sense of data that was once too overwhelming for human analysts to handle alone.
Learning from past data
AI also brings automation into the picture. Surveillance systems no longer rely on human input for every task. Machines learn from past data. They refine their searches, becoming more accurate over time. This constant improvement means that false leads are reduced. The technology gets smarter with each piece of data it processes.
Another major shift is the ability to track individuals. AI can analyze footage from thousands of cameras. Facial recognition matches faces across different locations and times. It creates a digital profile that follows someone through multiple activities. This goes beyond simple identification. AI understands movement patterns, associations with others, and even potential future actions.
Breaking the encryption
In addition, AI can break through encryption. With enough computing power, algorithms crack codes that were once considered unbreakable. This means encrypted communications, like those used by criminals or terrorists, are no longer safe. AI doesn’t need to work alone. It combines with other tools, like quantum computing, to make encryption obsolete faster than ever imagined.
AI’s reach doesn’t stop at communication or facial recognition. It can process satellite imagery and detect changes on the ground in real time. It watches entire cities, tracks vehicle movements, and monitors suspicious activity from the skies. Where once human analysts would have to review countless images, AI handles them in seconds.
Mass surveillance and AI: Orwell was looser compared to this
The scale of this surveillance has expanded. Governments, corporations, and security agencies now use AI to keep tabs on entire populations. The more data they collect, the more powerful AI becomes. This creates a feedback loop. More data means more precision. More precision means better results. Better results lead to more trust in AI systems.
Privacy concerns are growing as AI advances. People feel watched all the time. Data collected from phones, emails, and cameras is now analyzed in ways they never imagined. It’s no longer just about who you are. AI knows where you’ve been, who you’ve talked to, and what you might do next. Everything from shopping habits to political views can be tracked and predicted.
In the world of surveillance, AI has changed the game completely. It’s no longer about sorting through a sea of information in hopes of finding something useful. Now, AI creates the map, highlights the patterns, and points to the needle in the haystack—before anyone even knows they’re looking for it.
Mass surveillance and AI: Post-Snowden era and we are the sheep
Edward Snowden had the best intentions with us. It is a disgrace that we cannot influence our politicians (who are, of course, just puppets) to end this perverse, totalitarian practice.
In the post-Snowden Era, we have completely given up on any citizens’ powers and helped to establish political systems that lean to autocracy, or – worse – totalitarianism.
What did Orwell not envision?
George Orwell didn’t envision mass surveillance with AI. In 1984, he imagined a world where humans monitored humans. Big Brother’s eyes were everywhere, but it relied on people watching other people through cameras and spies. Orwell didn’t foresee machines that think. He didn’t imagine algorithms that could predict your actions before you even made them. His vision of surveillance was limited to what humans could handle, scanning faces on screens, recording conversations, and monitoring movements in person. He couldn’t predict AI sorting through endless data in real time, or facial recognition tracking every step. Orwell’s world relied on fear and force. AI today relies on precision and invisibility. It doesn’t just watch. It learns. Orwell thought control would be about watching everyone all the time. He never imagined the power of AI knowing everyone, all at once, through endless streams of data.
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