The global fixation on artificial intelligence shows no signs of slowing – and the safety and security industries are no exception. But with so many technology providers now brandishing the “AI” label on all of their products, it can be hard to separate hype from reality.
Burgess Nichols Jr., Vice President of Strategy at ZeroEyes, understands this dilemma well. Founded in 2018 by a team of Navy SEALs and elite technologists, ZeroEyes pioneered AI-enabled video surveillance. A big reason for the company’s success is its singular focus on using the technology to detect and prevent firearm-related emergencies proactively.
“We’re not focusing on going wide,” Burgess said on the most recent episode of the “Safety Gap” podcast. “We’re staying very narrow, and a lot of depth behind the value proposition we’re trying to deliver.”
With so much optimism, criticism, and uncertainty surrounding AI, Burgess offers practical insights on how AI can solve critical safety challenges. Here’s a glimpse into his advice on harnessing AI for safer schools, workplaces, and communities—catch the full episode for more.
Eliminating the ‘false sense of security’
Whether it’s a school, retailer, or 911 center, simply investing in new digital safety technologies is not enough. For example, while the business may invest in hundreds of new security cameras, safety professionals can’t actively monitor all these different video feeds. Instead, they need to use the data from all these devices to produce concise, real-time, and actionable intelligence. Otherwise, individuals could easily miss a critical signal, preventing a proactive response to an emergency.
“There is a kind of a false sense of security that by putting up security cameras, all of a sudden there’s some enhanced level of security,” said Burgess.
To solve this problem, each ZeroEyes camera real-time streaming protocols. The AI technology constantly scans all these feeds for potential firearms, then sends the information to a central command center, ZeroEyes Operations Center (ZOC)where analysts review the images and, if necessary, alert emergency dispatch. All of this happens within seconds. And with RapidSOS, these alerts can even be instantly shared with local law enforcement or on-site security, further streamlining the process.
“We have multiple redundancies in our communication channels so that someone will receive the alert,” Burgess said.
Moving beyond the call
Although phone calls are still the main way people report emergencies, this traditional approach has limitations. , such as
Often, ECCs receive incomplete or incorrect details from callers. For example, in high-stress active shooter scenarios, it’s not uncommon for individuals on the scene to misidentify the firearm. Meanwhile, in emergencies, enterprise safety and security teams can be kept out of the loop if employees call 911 on their personal mobile phones. This can complicate the response, potentially putting first responders or bystanders at risk.
Instead, name, location, images, and other critical information should be available immediately after the call is answered, and shared instantly with all stakeholders. This ensures that, even if the call is disconnected, safety professionals still have all the relevant information at their disposal – along with available contact information, making it easier to get on-site contacts back on the phone.
ZeroEyes, for instance, provides operators with an assailant’s image, enabling immediate verification. With RapidSOS, this critical intelligence is shared instantly with everyone who needs it, bridging communication gaps and enhancing situational awareness.
“It just clears up that communication flow – and it does it expeditiously,” said Burgess.
AI isn’t a substitute for human expertise
While technology is powerful, mistakes are inevitable which makes human oversight essential. . For example, once ZeroEyes’ cameras send an alert to a customer, it’s followed up by a phone call from one of the company’s in-house experts.
“AI can’t really provide the context,” said Burgess. “The best compliment is marrying it up with a human who knows what they’re looking at and can succinctly communicate in an effective manner.”
With AI, the underlying technology can learn from these specialists to get better. Every false positive is a chance to improve the overall system. Meanwhile, companies like ZeroEyes are investing in improving their AI products, including detecting exposed firearms with less of the weapon visible.
“It’s a constant iteration, and the model is constantly getting better,” Burgess said. But, “we don’t see ever really removing the human-in-the-loop piece of it.”
This is a critical point: When it comes to AI, the most successful use cases are those in which the technology helps support, not supplant, humans. When the two work in harmony, it leads to faster, more efficient emergency response, creating a safer environment for all.
To learn more, listen to the full recording here.