Omnilert CEO Dave Fraser talks about AI and school safety
Omnilert was used by Antioch High School, which experienced a deadly shooting earlier this month. However, the incident happened out of the system's field of view."
Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, was the latest to experience a deadly shooting. In the wake of the tragedy, many have questioned the efficacy of Omnilert, the artificial intelligence-powered weapons detection system that was used in the school. Now the company’s CEO, Dave Fraser, is speaking out about the advantages – and limitations – of AI security systems.
"The way our system works is it’s monitoring video cameras, and if you think about it, it’s essentially playing the role of a human being," Fraser told Fox Business. "But for it to work, it has to be able to actually see a weapon in the same way that a human would need to see the weapon."
Fraser explained that unlike traditional surveillance systems, which are often used after an incident, the Omnilert system is meant to be used as a preventative tool, along with other mechanisms.
Image depicts the Omnilert system detecting a weapon. (Courtesy: Omnilert)
"The visual approach, which is quite new, offers some pretty interesting advantages when layered with other technologies," Fraser said.
When speaking specifically about the tragedy in Nashville, Fraser said that the shooting took place "out of the field of view," making it "impossible" for Omnilert to see the weapon and detect the threat.
In February 2023, the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) board greenlit a $1 million contract with AI gun detection system, Omnilert, which is set to end on Nov. 30, 2025, according to local outlet WKRN.
Fraser told Fox Business that Omnilert’s systems are designed to work quickly, as with emergency situations "time is of the essence."
"If it can see a weapon, it will typically detect it within less than a second and at that point the data regarding that potential detection is actually sent to human beings for verification."
Omnilert system alert shown on a phone. (Courtesy: Omnilert)
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Once a threat is verified, Omnilert’s system can automatically activate other security tools, such as sounding alarms or locking doors. However, Fraser admits that no one system is perfect and that, in an ideal world, Omnilert would be combined with other safety measures.
The "bottom line," Fraser says, is to use "multiple layers of defense."
On its website, Omnilert spells out a possible layered approach to school safety. The list includes training for staff, onsite security, surveillance cameras, metal detectors and more, in addition to an AI-powered system.
According to Omnilert’s annual gun violence report, which was released earlier this month prior to the Antioch High School shooting, 2024 saw the second-highest number of K-12 school shooting incidents since 1966.
Example of how the AI-powered weapons detection system Omnilert finds a suspect with a gun.
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Following the shooting, Fran Bush, a former Metro Nashville Public Schools board member, told the New York Post that she "knew this day was gonna happen."
"I knew it was gonna happen just because it’s like a free open door, everybody coming in," Bush added. She also said that she unsuccessfully pushed for the school district to bring in metal detectors.
In response to a Fox Business request for comment on the lack of metal detectors, MNPS Chief of Communications and Technology Sean Braisted said the school is working with Evolv to pilot a concealed weapon detection system.
