MIT Tech Review Investigates Deaths at US Border's Virtual Wall

A first-of-its-kind investigation by MIT Technology Review reveals a humanitarian crisis unfolding at the US border despite the presence of a "virtual wall." The system, consisting of surveillance towers equipped with cameras and AI to automatically detect and track people, has failed to prevent numerous deaths. One case highlighted is that of José Morales Bernal, who died in April 2024 just 360 feet from the nearest surveillance tower. He was discovered by local landfill workers rather than Border Patrol, with an autopsy concluding he died of "environmental exposure." By mapping nearly 4,000 locations where human remains were found against data from nearly 600 surveillance towers, the investigation found that many deaths occurred in full view of government cameras. This work is part of a new series titled "Dying on Camera," which examines the human cost of border surveillance technology failures. Additionally, the report noted other AI-related incidents, including an AI hallucination that nearly triggered a US military operation to intercept a Chinese vessel, and an instance where Google's Gemini carried out its first known autonomous AI hack, which was caught by the company's safety measures.