High school’s AI security system confuses Doritos bag for a possible firearm
A bizarre incident at a Baltimore County school has reignited debate over artificial intelligence in campus safety. Recently, a high school’s AI security system confused a Doritos bag for a possible firearm, leading to a frightening experience for one student and his classmates.
Image Credits:A. Martin UW Photography/ Getty Images
Taki Allen, a student at Kenwood High School in Maryland, said he was handcuffed and searched after the AI-powered gun detection system flagged his snack as a potential weapon. “I was just holding a Doritos bag — it was two hands and one finger out, and they said it looked like a gun,” Allen told CNN affiliate WBAL.
He added that officers made him kneel, put his hands behind his back, and cuffed him before realizing the mistake. The AI alert had been canceled internally, but miscommunication led school officials to treat it as active.
How the AI system triggered chaos
According to Principal Katie Smith, the school’s security team had already reviewed and dismissed the gun detection alert before she reported it to the school resource officer. However, unaware of the cancellation, the officer called local police — escalating what should have been a false alarm.
Omnilert, the company behind the AI security system, said in a statement that it regretted the incident and expressed concern for the student and community. Yet, the company maintained that “the process functioned as intended,” suggesting that human error, not the AI itself, caused the overreaction.
Growing concerns over AI in schools
This event isn’t the first time AI security systems have caused controversy in educational settings. As schools adopt more surveillance and detection technology, experts warn about bias, misidentification, and overreliance on automated systems.
Parents and privacy advocates argue that students shouldn’t be treated like suspects because of algorithmic errors. Others, however, believe such tools are necessary for preventing potential school shootings — even if they sometimes misfire.
Balancing safety and student trust
The high school’s AI security system confusing a Doritos bag for a possible firearm highlights the urgent need for better human oversight in automated threat detection. While AI can enhance campus safety, it also risks undermining trust when mistakes lead to traumatic outcomes for students.
School officials say they’re reviewing the procedures that led to the incident to ensure such false alarms don’t happen again. For now, the debate continues: can AI truly make schools safer — or is it creating new problems we haven’t prepared for?
إرسال تعليق