The debate about where the line should be drawn between privacy and public safety has only intensified in the age of artificial intelligence. And Herd safetya company that has seen both an influx of investment and a strong public backlash is right at the center of this debate.
That’s why at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, we’re bringing Flock founder and CEO Garrett Langley to the stage to talk about these very issues. Disrupt has always had its share of harsh conversations, and you should expect no less from this session.
And Langley’s discussion of artificial intelligence, surveillance and the future of public safety is just one of many exciting discussions taking place at this year’s Disrupt, which will take place October 13-15 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center. You can dive into the lineup we’ve announced so far here or take advantage of the lowest early bird ticket prices here.
How Flock Safety and Langley made it to Disrupt 2026
Atlanta-based Flock Safety isn’t Langley’s first experience in the startup space. In previous roles, he worked at the car subscription service Clutch and the Experience platform, where he oversaw multiple teams, including engineering and design before its sale to Cox Enterprises for $200 million in 2014.
Flock launched in 2017, with Langley working with co-founders Matt Feury and Paige Todd, going through Y Combinator before seeing significant success selling its surveillance technology to businesses and law enforcement agencies. You can associate the company with license location recognition, though it has general-purpose surveillance cameras and has developed drone first responders since acquiring Aerodome.
The company’s most recent fundraising last year, a $275 million round, placed Flock at a $7.5 billion valuation, which was a sharp increase from a $4.8 billion valuation the previous year. In total, the outfit has secured $950 million in total funding since the start.
Flock’s business success has been met with backlash from privacy advocates like the ACLU and members of the general public, with some people going so far as to destroy Flock’s surveillance cameras as it continues to offer its cameras and databases to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Among the biggest apparent setbacks for Flock, Amazon’s Ring recently ended a partnership with the company, and the LAPD let its agreement with Flock expire this month.
Langley will discuss the company’s approach to the increasingly intertwined nature of artificial intelligence and the surveillance industry in a talk that is sure to prove enlightening for Flock supporters and detractors alike.
To attend the conversation in person and join the other 10,000 founders, investors, tech enthusiasts and innovators who will flock to San Francisco for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 on October 13-15 for a wide range of workshops, keynotes, parties and networking. here.
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