The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has made it easier for governments to surveil their citizens, according to Harry Halpin, CEO of Nym, a privacy-focused crypto project. In an interview with The Agenda podcast, Halpin expressed concerns about the impact of AI on privacy and civil liberties, citing the recent conviction of Tornado Cash developer Alexey Pertsev and the plea deal of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Halpin noted that AI has made surveillance more efficient, allowing governments to track individuals' physical presence, relationships, and preferences with ease. This, he believes, poses a significant threat to privacy and freedom of speech. The use of phone record metadata, for instance, can reveal a person's daily habits, friendships, and political affiliations. AI can then use this information to create a "digital double" of the individual, making it easier for governments to control and predict their behavior.

The Nym CEO also expressed concerns about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), which he believes could lead to a "surveillance society" where transactions are heavily monitored. Halpin fears that CBDCs could be used to restrict financial freedom, citing the example of the US government's ability to block countries like Iran and Cuba from accessing the global economy.

Halpin's concerns are echoed by privacy advocates who believe that the recent conviction of Pertsev and the plea deal of Assange are examples of government overreach. The crypto community has come together to support both individuals, fundraising for their legal fees and highlighting the importance of privacy and civil liberties.

In conclusion, the use of AI for surveillance poses significant risks to privacy and civil liberties. As governments increasingly rely on AI to monitor their citizens, it is essential to develop privacy-focused solutions like Nym's mixnet technology. By scrambling data and adding noise to the underlying signal, mixnets can make it impossible for AI to de-anonymize individuals, protecting their privacy and freedom of speech.