Atlanta’s controversial “Cop City” project is entering a new phase, with officials testing AI-powered policing tools in neighborhoods already saturated with surveillance, raising fresh questions about how the technology will be deployed and who it will impact most.
The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center—an $118 million, 85-acre facility in DeKalb County—has become a proving ground for AI policing systems tied into a sprawling network of cameras across Atlanta. The site, built in the South River Forest, includes mock city blocks equipped with license plate readers, real-time monitoring feeds, and AI tools designed to track movement and flag activity.
And according to a new report from non-profit news organization Capital B, these systems are now being tested in surrounding communities as part of broader law enforcement operations.
The expansion builds on years of quiet infrastructure growth. What began as a small Real-Time Crime Center has evolved into a citywide network connecting more than 60,000 public and private cameras.
A 2025 estimate found roughly 124 surveillance cameras per 1,000 residents—placing Atlanta among the most surveilled cities globally.
Through programs that allow businesses and homeowners to share live feeds, police can access footage across neighborhoods in real time, with AI increasingly used to identify patterns and generate alerts.
Civil liberties advocates say the addition of artificial intelligence fundamentally changes how that data is used. “Mass surveillance in general is the issue, but AI is almost supercharging what mass surveillance can do,” said ACLU of Georgia policy advocate Shruti Lakshmanan.
She noted that newer tools allow officers to search footage using open-ended descriptions—such as identifying vehicles by bumper stickers—rather than relying on specific suspects or incidents.
The rollout comes as the facility itself remains a flashpoint. Approved in 2021, the training center was pitched by city officials as a way to modernize policing, improve recruitment, and strengthen emergency response training.
Critics, however, argue it accelerates police militarization while replacing one of the city’s largest remaining green spaces with infrastructure that contributes to environmental strain, including increased runoff and heat in nearby neighborhoods.
That tension extends beyond Atlanta. Georgia-based surveillance companies are marketing similar systems nationwide, and researchers warn that the training center could serve as a model for other cities.
At the same time, more than two dozen municipalities—from San Francisco to Nashville—have adopted policies requiring public oversight before expanding surveillance technology.
