Is AI Taking Over K-12 Safety Technology?

AI seems to be everywhere in K-12 today. 

It seems every day new frameworks, tools, and solutions are coming out for AI in K-12. 

And I am seeing this trend enter the K-12 Safety Technology space just as quickly. 

Some of the advancements I’m seeing are absolutely amazing. However, we should approach some aspects with a bit of buyer-beware.

AI is Technology

There is a new trend of treating AI as a separate entity, as if it’s a magical box from the future distinct from other digital and technology solutions. However, the fundamental fact is that AI is technology. It’s advanced, sure, but not magical—at least not yet.

And we've already spent years in K-12 developing frameworks, standards, plans, trainings, etc. around digital transformation and digital literacy. 

While AI is causing the landscape to rapidly evolve, I am not seeing anything being offered by AI that has yet merited throwing out the concepts of data privacy, interoperability, adoption, ROI, and the decades of Digital Transformation and Digital Literacy knowledge that has been developed inside of K-12. 

And I believe that we should approach AI with the same PITAC Framework (Planning/Purchasing, Implementation, Transition, Adoption, and Continuous Improvement) that we do all other technologies. 

This is especially true as when it comes to AI in Safety Technology.

AI in Safety Technology

Let's geek out for a minute.

As I said, some of the innovations in this are truly amazing. 

The AI video weapons detection software and how it can integrate with access control, intercoms, communications, law enforcement, etc. Can absolutely change the game for many K-12 schools and districts. 

In fact, I would argue that these systems and integrations are getting us as close to Prevention, as we have ever been. 

And I am very excited to continue to explore the possibilities in this space.

However, the physical and cyber security market in K-12 is expected to grow 20% by 2030, becoming an $8.85 billion industry. This 'gold rush' can attract unsavory actors looking to grab their share of the 'billion-dollar pie.'

For example, some products I've seen are just simple OpenAI APIs overlaid on existing poor products with little to no validation or fidelity. Others completely overhype and oversell their capabilities, convincing schools and districts to purchase what amounts to expensive security theatre.

These products set off the wrong kind of 'alarm bells,' making me question whether some vendors prioritize profits over student and staff safety.

How to Buyer-Beware? 

It can be very easy for school and district leaders to be drawn in by the hype and promises of what these systems can seemingly do.

However, it is key to understand how these safety technologies are built and how they actually work, or don't work. 

Is it an API call back to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Rekognition software? 

Did they train their own model? 

Is it really a just a 10-year-old Machine Learning Model that they rebranded as "AI"?

Can their magic solution actually do what they say it can?

Can any technology do what they say theirs can?

I ask these and many more questions as it takes diligence, testing, piloting, and phased implementations to ensure that we are not going down the wrong road. 

Let's Wrap IT Up

It's true that AI offers promising advancements for K-12 safety technology. However, we must maintain a critical and informed perspective to ensure we adopt solutions that genuinely enhance safety rather than fall for overhyped and potentially ineffective products.

And now that ESSER funds are sunsetting, we have to be even more careful with how we spend each and every dollar.