A robust, timely census is vital to democracy. Censuses sketch the changing face of our nation by charting both political and demographic shifts, including changes in wealth and neighborhood transitions. Most crucially, they influence how resources and political power are doled out: Cities use census data to set budgets and the Constitution mandates a national census to apportion congressional seats. But taking a census is both expensive and slow—the annual American Community Survey (ACS) represents data collected over a five-year period, creating one hell of a lag. A team of Stanford AI researchers believe we can use computer vision to speed up the process, a radical approach to a centuries-old practice.
