Salem City Schools Deploy AI for Personalized Learning, Weapon Detection

Schools across the U.S. are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance both personalized learning and school safety measures. For example, Salem City Public Schools have implemented AI tools like SchoolAI for tailored education and Coram AI for weapons detection, alongside new curricula aligned with state standards. Meanwhile, AI's rising role raises concerns about ethical use and privacy, with experts emphasizing the need for AI literacy among students and educators to ensure responsible engagement and prevent misuse. However, AI-based monitoring systems in schools have also led to problematic outcomes, such as false alarms and harsh disciplinary actions, exemplified by cases where students were wrongly penalized due to AI's inability to understand context. In the realm of security, firms like VOLT AI and Lightspeed Systems employ AI to detect potential threats through video and browsing activity analysis, combining automated detection with human review to minimize errors. This growing reliance on AI in education and school safety prompts ongoing debates about balancing technological benefits with ethical considerations, privacy protections, and appropriate human judgment.