Japanese startup unveils Minority Report-style AI that can spot shoplifters BEFORE they steal

A controversial new software developed by Japanese startup Vaak could be used to identify potential shoplifters based on their body language. The system is trained to recognize'suspicious' activities such as fidgeting or restlessness in security footage, according to Bloomberg Quint. While it's designed to crack down on theft, with the idea being that staff can approach a potential thief once alerted, predictive policing efforts have sparked concerns that people may be unfairly targeted as a result of racial and other biases. A controversial new software developed by Japanese startup Vaak could be used to identify potential shoplifters based on their body language. The system is trained to recognize'suspicious' activities such as fidgeting or restlessness in security footage Vaak's criminal-detecting AI can alert staff to suspicious behaviour via smartphone app once it's spotted something in the CCTV stream, according to Bloomberg.