Google AI invents gold-filled surveillance cameras, fueling real-world vandalism

Google's AI Overviews feature in the search engine has been telling users that automated license plate recognition cameras made by Flock contain large amounts of gold, copper, and zinc. According to reporting cited by Habr from Futurism, the search tool claims each camera holds 1 to 5 grams of gold in its wiring and circuit boards, translating to up to $650 at current market prices, alongside up to 10 grams of copper.

The factual reality is rather different. While automatic license plate recognition systems do contain trace amounts of precious metals, the quantities are negligible. Without specialized electronic recycling skills and equipment, extracting enough material to clear even a few dollars is practically impossible—especially when factoring in the effort required. Furthermore, one cited sensor weighs barely more than 1 gram in total, making the claim of 10 grams of copper physically impossible.

The AI's claims stem from two heavily flawed sources: an anonymous post on Substack estimating scrap value at $150 to $500, and an Instagram post playing on a viral meme to entice vandalism. This hallucination arrives amid a wave of physical attacks against Flock surveillance equipment across the United States, where units have been sawed down, painted over, or rammed by trucks in states like New York, California, and Idaho.

Source: habr