An investigation by a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Tbilisi bureau journalist Nastasia Arabuli has found an alleged purchase and use of Russian and Belarusian AI face recognition software by the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).
The face recognition system used by the Police in Georgia relies on the Polyface product, licensed from Russia's Papillon Systems and purchased through a Georgian intermediary company. The system has undergone several upgrades and now includes advanced deep-learning capabilities at a total cost of around 700,000 GEL.
Georgia has also purchased Papillon Systems' Arsenal weapon and bullet identification system, which has a price tag of up to 600,000 GEL.
The Georgian Government has been spending considerable amounts of money in servicing the software every year.
Concerns have also been raised about the possible exchange of personal data between Georgia and Russia, later denounced by the Georgian MIA as "an attempt to deceive the public and discredit the Georgian investigative and expert agencies".
Curiously, a controversial agreement between Georgian and Belarusian security services signed in 2019 remains in force.
Radio Liberty also found that software used by Georgian police officers was mainly obtained through simplified direct purchases rather than competitive tenders, raising further questions.
A recent claim by a Georgian intermediary company has caused surprise, claiming that the Arsenal system is a Turkish application, despite the signed document indicating its Russian origin.
Georgian Interior Ministry has claimed PolySurface software is Turkish, created by Turkey specifically for Georgia in Georgian language. However, official procurement documents, including contracts, obtained by RFERL show Russia as the software’s country of origin.
Papillon Systems is the parent company of PolySurface and was established in Chelyabinsk, Russia in 1991. Today it operates branches in 43 countries, including Kazakhstan, Turkey, and India. Its software is often used by the Russian Interior Ministry and security structures, of which the company is proud. Papillon Systems has its own AI laboratory and produces both software and hardware.
დახურვა