AI for crowd monitoring, audio surveillance showcased at S. Korea Security Expo

At the event, AI was presented as a tool to manage crowds and identify critical sounds for enhanced security.

The International Security Exhibition and Conference was a three-day event held last week in Goyang, near Seoul, where hundreds of companies displayed their latest AI products and services.

Interest in artificial intelligence has grown since the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022. Companies, including South Korea's Samsung Electronics, are competing to develop their own generative AI systems with large language models.

Deeply, a startup from Seoul, showcased its Listen AI service that uses security cameras with microphones to detect sounds like fights, screams, car crashes, and explosions.

Another South Korean business, Gasi, is also utilizing AI for security. Large gatherings should be easier for South Korea's city governments to manage thanks to its foot traffic measurement service. Over 150 people died in a crowd crush during a Halloween event in Seoul's Itaewon district in October 2022, raising concerns about crowd management.

Several other South Korean municipalities and the tourist city of Gyeongju have adopted Gasi's service.

Experts predict that AI technology will drive growth in South Korea's security business this year. The security market in the country is projected to increase from 7 trillion won to 7.3 trillion won, or $5.4 billion, this year, says conference host Secon. Exhibitions centered around e-government and security are held at Secon.

However, the security industry also has to deal with AI. For instance, hackers are employing generative AI to produce harmful code that could endanger cybersecurity.