Can artificial intelligence help stop mass shootings?

A series of six mass shootings occurred in California within a span of less than two weeks, resulting in 30 fatalities and 19 individuals sustaining injuries. These incidents have sparked renewed demands for the United States to confront the issue of gun violence.

In recent times, President Joe Biden advocated for a nationwide prohibition on assault rifles. Conversely, Republicans, who are opposed to this proposal, have largely refrained from commenting on the aftermath of these attacks. When confronted with previous instances of mass shootings, Republicans have emphasized the need for improved mental health services.

The deadlock in Congress and the seeming ineffectiveness of California's stringent state-level gun regulations have led to a quest for alternative solutions. One emerging approach that has garnered attention involves leveraging artificial intelligence-powered security systems. This strategy holds the potential to apprehend potential shooters before they even discharge a single round.

The AI-driven security sector promotes surveillance cameras capable of detecting individuals lingering around schools with weapons, advanced metal detectors that can uncover concealed firearms, and predictive algorithms designed to assess data for signs of a potential mass shooter.

The creators of AI-enhanced security cameras assert that their technology addresses the limitations of human security personnel, who frequently find it challenging to monitor numerous video streams and identify developing dangers. Rather than relying solely on security officers, AI consistently recognizes potential attackers as they prepare for assaults, potentially safeguarding crucial minutes or seconds and, ultimately, lives.

Yet, critics raise doubts about the product's efficacy, contending that companies have not furnished externally validated information regarding their accuracy. They further emphasize that even if AI functions proficiently, significant apprehensions arise regarding violations of privacy and the potential for discrimination.

While contemplating the incorporation of AI security, educational institutions, businesses, and workplaces are driving the potential expansion of the industry.

According to a research firm, the market for concealed weapon detection products is projected to experience a significant rise, almost doubling from $630 million in 2022 to around $1.2 billion by 2031.

This optimistic outlook is influenced, in part, by the growing prevalence of security cameras. This trend enables AI companies to market software that can augment the existing systems employed in numerous buildings, further contributing to the industry's growth.

As of the 2017-18 school year, 83% of public schools said they use security cameras, the?National Center for Education Statistics?found. The figure marked a significant uptick from the 1999-2000 school year, when just 19% of schools were equipped with security cameras, the organization's survey said.

Companies working on AI security to prevent shootings

An Indian company established in 2019, has introduced an AI solution. This solution supports security cameras not just in recognizing concealed firearms, but also in identifying activities that seem suspicious, like attempts to evade security or initiate altercations, according to statements from its CEO.

Upon successful identification of a weapon or questionable individual by the fully automated system, it sends alerts to authorities at educational institutions or businesses. The CEO pointed out that individuals planning mass shootings often display their weapons prior to entering a facility. The system can also be configured to instantly deny entry and secure doors.

The CEO commented, "During critical moments when time is of the essence, the potential impact could be significant."

"Imagine a human sitting in a command center watching a video wall, the human can only watch four to five cameras for four to five minutes before he starts missing things," the CEO said. "There's no limit to what an AI can watch."

This Indian AI security company offers similar AI-enhanced video monitoring but with a narrower purpose: Gun detection.

"In the majority of cases, the shooter has a gun exposed before squeezing the trigger," the CEO said. "We wanted to get an image of that gun and alert first responders with it."

As with this product, the AI tracks live video feeds and sends an alert when it detects a gun. However, the alert goes to an internal control room, where company employees determine whether the situation poses a real threat.

"We have a human in the loop to make sure the client never gets a false positive," the CEO said, adding that the full process takes as little as three seconds from alert to verification to communication with a client.