Berlin police are rolling out a smart video surveillance system in August that uses AI to detect unusual movement patterns in crowds. The first test zones will be Warschauer Brücke and Kottbusser Tor square; the algorithm, developed by Adesso, continuously analyzes video streams and sends alerts to police when it spots anomalies.

The system is designed around privacy norms: it performs no biometric identification, faces are hidden, and operators see only anonymized schematic outlines. A duty officer assesses the threat level from these contours and makes the final call on dispatching a patrol.

The €4.6 million project has sparked controversy—rights activists fear the AI may discriminate against people with atypical motor patterns (such as those with addictions), falsely flagging them as threats. If street tests succeed, the same technology will be extended to automated protection of buildings from late 2026.

Morgenpost: KI-Kameraüberwachung in Berlin soll schon im August starten