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AI-powered safety trackers, previously limited to fleet logistics, are now a part of everyday life. As the use of real-time tracking becomes commonplace, it raises a bold question: Is it protecting our friends and family, or is it secretly surveilling us?
The smart personal safety device segment was USD 1.55 billion in 2024 and is set to hit USD 3.87 billion by 2032. GPS-enabled wearables are rising too, with the India GPS-watch tracker market growing from USD 59.9 million in 2024 toward USD 104.9 million by 2033. Even the PERS category is expanding, valued at USD 796 million in 2024 and projected to reach USD 1,500 million by 2035. Safety trackers are no longer niche, they’re becoming everyday essentials.
On one hand, these devices are evolving into digital companions, not surveillance devices. They offer advancements to keep you safe: real-time alerts, predictive risk clearances, automatic escalations (like SOS), and live location sharing. Family members benefit from less stress, faster assistance in emergencies, and the knowledge that someone is looking out for them.
These devices intend to empower and not to surveil. They are not “Big Brother” systems, with data being encrypted, minimized, and heavily protected. Most functions, including real-time tracking and alerts, are entirely opt-in and within the user’s total control. They include explicit permissions and privacy settings, and users are fully empowered to determine what is shared and who will see it.
Some concerned people believe that any device with location tracking is a privacy concern. With adequate transparency, user permissions, and opt-in design, these trackers should be just another layer of protection for the user.
Moving forward, the next generation of safety devices will be smarter, safer, and provide even more privacy through strong encryption, less data storage, more predictive AI that identifies potential risks early on before an event occurs, and full user control over the use of personal information. Ultimately, this is not a battle between safety and privacy: the future of AI safety technologies will achieve both through trust, transparency, and responsible design.
