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Axon Launches First Artificial Intelligence Ethics Board for Public Safety; Promotes Responsible Development of AI Technologies

AI Ethics Board meets for the first time today to discuss AI product development guidelines

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 26, 2018 – Axon (Nasdaq: AAXN), the global leader in connected law enforcement technologies, today announced the assembly of a new AI Ethics Board to help guide the development of Axon's AI-powered devices and services. The Board's mission is to provide expert guidance to Axon, paying particular attention to the impact of AI technology on communities. In the Board's first meeting today in Scottsdale, Arizona, members will set guidelines for developing AI technology.

The AI Ethics Board is made up of experts from varying fields including AI, computer science, privacy, law enforcement, civil liberties, and public policy. Axon assembled a diverse group with the intention of bringing a variety of perspectives to the table during board meetings. The full list of members includes:

  • Ali Farhadi, PhD, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at University of Washington, Senior Research Manager at AI2 and CEO of Xnor.ai
  • Barry Friedman, Professor and Director of the Policing Project at New York University School of Law
  • Jeremy Gillula, PhD, Privacy and Civil Liberties Technologist
  • Jim Bueermann, President of the Police Foundation
  • Miles Brundage, Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute
  • Tracy Ann Kosa, PhD, Fellow at Stanford University and Adjunct Professor at Seattle University School of Law
  • Vera Bumpers, Chief of Houston Metro Police Department, incoming President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
  • Walter McNeil, Sheriff of Leon County Sheriff's Office, Florida, former President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police

“We also believe AI research and technology for use in law enforcement must be done ethically and with the public in mind. This is why we've created the AI Ethics Board - to ensure any AI technology in public safety is developed responsibly.” – Axon CEO and founder, Rick Smith.

The Board will meet twice a year to discuss ethical implications of AI-powered technologies being developed by Axon. Today, the discussion will revolve around a range of future capabilities Axon's AI Research team is working on to help increase police efficiency and efficacy. Axon's ultimate goal in developing AI technology is to remove the need for police officers to do manual paperwork entirely.

“We believe the advancement of AI technology will empower police officers to connect with their communities versus being stuck in front of a computer screen doing data entry,” says Axon CEO and founder, Rick Smith. “We also believe AI research and technology for use in law enforcement must be done ethically and with the public in mind. This is why we've created the AI Ethics Board - to ensure any AI technology in public safety is developed responsibly.”

As a leading technology company for law enforcement, Axon believes it has an obligation to the public to develop its AI technologies with transparency and accountability. With more than 18,000 law enforcement customers in more than 100 countries, Axon is committed to ensuring customers' data is protected while respecting individual rights and privacy.

“We take privacy very seriously and address privacy concerns of law enforcement officers and citizens before releasing a product,” says Axon's Director of AI and Machine Learning, Moji Solgi. “We intend to be transparent with our customers and the general public about these principles and our efforts to adhere to them.”

To further demonstrate a commitment to public transparency, Axon will publish one or two reports annually that describe the work of the Ethics Board. The first report will include the AI product development guidelines being set in today's meeting. To learn more about Axon's AI Ethics Board, please visit www.axon.com/Ethics.

About Axon

Axon is a network of devices, apps, and people that helps law enforcement become smarter and safer. Our mission is to protect life. Our technologies give law enforcement the confidence, focus and time they need to keep their communities safe. Our products impact every aspect of an officer's day-to-day experience:

  • In the field - Our Smart Weapons offer a less-lethal intermediate use of force response and our body-worn and in-car cameras collect video evidence to capture the truth of an incident; and our mobile applications enable simple evidence collection.
  • At the station - Our secure, cloud-based digital evidence management solution allows officers and command staff to manage, review, share, and process digital evidence using forensic, redaction, transcription, and other tools.
  • In the courtroom - Our solutions for prosecutors make collaborating across jurisdictions and agencies easy so that cases can be resolved quickly.

We work hard for those who put themselves in harm's way for all of us. To date, there are more than 201,500 software seats booked on the Axon Network around the world and more than 198,000 lives and countless dollars have been saved with the Axon Network of devices, apps, and people. Learn more at www.axon.com or by calling (800) 978-2737.

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Axon, Axon Network, Smart Weapons, the “Delta Logo,” and “Protect Life” are trademarks of Axon Enterprise, Inc., some of which are registered in the US and other countries. For more information, visit www.axon.com/legal. All rights reserved.

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