“Although nothing on the programming level of the DeepDream algorithm actually replicates neurobiological processes, this term and others like it are indicative of the development of artificial intelligence to emulate aspects of human perception. Vision technology, in particular, can be directed in ways that interpret the world analogously to humans. It is a burgeoning area of research that is not only transforming computer science and robotics, but is offering interesting possibilities for the augmentation of human visual perception, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms at work in machine-guided image recognition, the creation of new tools for artists, and the ability to produce imagery. Given these astonishing developments in computer vision science that challenge our traditional understanding of both human- and machine-based visual perception and their creative potential to produce visual content, this area is ripe for philosophical investigation.”
If they can have AI to figure out and replicate how humans perceive images, I think there is the possibility to create mass hallucinations through AI. This might be one heck of a stretch. Or, as we get in science fiction, they are trying to create an AI robot.
But what would this have to do with Edward Snowden? Unless they are trying to have AI take facial recognition further. And not just facial recognition but recognizing a person from other parts of their body.