Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a tool for authoritarian regimes to enforce their control, and Iran is a prime example. The Iranian government has integrated AI into its surveillance apparatus to crack down on women who do not comply with the country's strict dress codes. This technology enables the regime to monitor and penalize women for not wearing their hijabs correctly, leveraging facial recognition, CCTV, and other digital tools to enforce compliance.
AI's role in Iran's digital repression is multifaceted. Enhanced AI tools are central to the Hijab and Chastity Bill, which mandates the use of intelligent systems to identify and punish those who violate dress codes. This bill, awaiting ratification, allows authorities to use AI to monitor public and private spaces, ensuring that women adhere to the mandated dress codes. Businesses are also compelled to submit video footage for compliance checks, with severe penalties for non-compliance.
The implications of this AI-driven surveillance are profound. Women face a range of punishments, from fines and social exclusion to imprisonment. The regime's use of AI extends beyond mere surveillance; it is a means of economic and social warfare against women, targeting their homes, cars, bank accounts, and livelihoods. This systemic discrimination aims to suppress women into total submission, amounting to what U.N. experts describe as gender apartheid.
The broader conversation around AI safety often misses the mark by focusing solely on the technology itself rather than the intentions of those wielding it. AI is a tool, and its impact—whether beneficial or harmful—depends entirely on human use. In the hands of repressive regimes, AI becomes a powerful instrument of control and oppression, highlighting the urgent need for global discussions on ethical AI use and robust safeguards against its misuse.
