10/09/2026
The reported incident involving Anthropic’s AI technology submitting a false tip online to the Philadelphia Police Department is deeply concerning. A moment like this is exactly why I’ve been calling for guardrails around how the City uses and interacts with surveillance tech and emerging technologies like AI, especially when it intersects with law enforcement.
False reports like this can divert resources, cause unnecessary investigations, undermine public trust, and create distress for victims and families.
This incident raises important questions about how increasingly powerful technologies interact with government. And it underscores that the City has work to do to ensure these technologies don’t undermine public safety and civil liberties.
As Chair of the Tech Committee, I’m committed to continue pushing for the City to strengthen oversight over surveillance technology and guardrails for how AI is used by our city, as well as protections for our residents’ civil liberties, and my office will continue to work toward that goal.
