AI Security System Mistakenly Identifies Doritos as Gun

AI Security System Mistakenly Identifies Chips as Firearm at Maryland High School

An incident occurred at Kenwood High School in Baltimore County, Maryland, where a student was reportedly subjected to a search and handcuffing due to a false alarm generated by an artificial intelligence security system.

Taki Allen, the student involved, recounted to WBAL, a CNN affiliate, that he was holding a bag of Doritos when the system flagged it as a potential firearm.

According to Allen, security personnel responded by forcing him to kneel, placing his hands behind his back, and applying handcuffs.

School Response and System Functionality

Principal Katie Smith communicated with parents, explaining that the school’s security team had initially reviewed and dismissed a gun detection alert.

However, unaware that the alert had been canceled, Principal Smith then reported the situation to the school resource officer, who subsequently contacted local law enforcement.

Omnilert's Statement

Omnilert, the provider of the AI-powered gun detection technology, expressed regret over the incident and extended concern to the student and the community.

Despite the unfortunate event, Omnilert affirmed that the system had operated according to its designed parameters.

The company stated that the system “functioned as intended” when identifying the object as a potential threat, triggering the alert.

This case raises questions about the accuracy and potential for misidentification inherent in AI-driven security systems.