Fact check: Did Larry Ellison really say "citizens will be on their best behavior" in regards to Ai surveillance?

1. Summary of the results

Larry Ellison did make this statement verbatim during an Oracle Financial Analyst Meeting ^{[1] [2]}. The full quote provides important additional context: "Citizens will be on their best behavior because we are constantly recording and reporting everything that's going on" ^[1]. Multiple independent sources confirm both the quote and its context ^{[3] [4] [1]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question omits several crucial pieces of context:

• The statement was made during an investor/financial analyst meeting, not a public policy forum ^{[1] [2]}
• Ellison was specifically discussing AI-powered surveillance systems that would use cameras and drones for constant monitoring ^{[1] [1]}
• The surveillance would target both citizens and police ^[1]
• The statement was part of a larger discussion about public behavior and accountability ^[2]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, by isolating the quote, fails to capture several important aspects:

• Financial Context: The statement was made to investors, suggesting potential financial motivations behind promoting widespread AI surveillance ^{[3] [2]}
• Business Interests: As Oracle's leader, Ellison and his company would directly benefit from the implementation of such surveillance systems
• Power Dynamic: The use of "we" in "we are constantly recording" ^[5] suggests a clear division between those controlling the surveillance and those being surveilled
• Technological Implementation: The statement implies acceptance of widespread drone and camera deployment for surveillance purposes ^{[1] [1]}

The full context reveals this was not just a casual remark about behavior, but part of a larger business pitch for comprehensive AI surveillance infrastructure.