Innovative AI Solution Takes Aim at Gun Violence Prevention

In the latest Predict & Prevent podcast, host Pete Miller from The Institutes explores how technology company ZeroEyes is transforming gun violence prevention. Founded after the 2018 Parkland shooting, ZeroEyes uses advanced AI and a human verification process to spot firearms in real-time, especially in sensitive environments like schools. Timothy Fallon, ZeroEyes’ VP of Strategic Initiatives, explains the company’s approach: a three-step process of detection, verification, and alerting that aims to reduce response times and prevent harm. Last year, the system recorded 12 arrests and responded to over 1,000 incidents across its user base, illustrating its impact.

ZeroEyes’ AI system is particularly innovative for avoiding bias by only detecting weapons, sidestepping racial or behavioral profiling. This AI-driven approach, coupled with rigorous testing in controlled environments, helps ensure reliable and objective gun detection. Acknowledging the financial strain gun-related incidents place on communities, ZeroEyes is also exploring parametric insurance models to help schools manage unexpected costs from lockdowns, even when no shots are fired. In the long term, ZeroEyes aspires to be as ubiquitous as smoke alarms, providing an essential layer of protection in security systems across the U.S.