Facial recognition technology, combined with every camera on earth.
They are laying the foundations for a 24/7 ubiquitous and always-on surveillance and tracking system.
The ultimately goal might be to use very little resources (humans, drones, etc) yet achieve a near-omnipotent level of power and influence.
If they are able to conflate many such methods and systems into one sense of intelligence, then their ability to target their resources effectively is increased significantly.
Their priority isn't necessarily "you" as an individual, but it's "everyone" so they can make sure nothing slips through their net.
Sure, but in this end of the world, machine domination, and terminator like scenario, they still need to convince us to use a webcam and a mic on the computer.
1) They grabbed these images just to test their image recognition.
2) Earlier leaks have already shown that cameras and microphones can be accessed without user knowledge, and earlier defects in products show that the light does not always come on for cameras.
You're imagining that they will ask for consent. They will not. You are equipping yourself with a lot of sensors in a network connected device, and to this they simply say "Thank you". Or would, except they're not going to say anything.
They are laying the foundations for a 24/7 ubiquitous and always-on surveillance and tracking system.
The ultimately goal might be to use very little resources (humans, drones, etc) yet achieve a near-omnipotent level of power and influence.
If they are able to conflate many such methods and systems into one sense of intelligence, then their ability to target their resources effectively is increased significantly.
Their priority isn't necessarily "you" as an individual, but it's "everyone" so they can make sure nothing slips through their net.