AI Mistakes Student's Doritos for Gun, Police Swarm Baltimore High Schooler

Baltimore high school student Taki Allen was approached by police on Monday night after an artificial intelligence system mistakenly identified his bag of Doritos as a firearm. The incident occurred outside Kenwood High School in Baltimore while Allen was sitting with friends and eating a snack.

According to Allen, he was unaware of the situation until police officers, armed and demanding he get on the ground, approached him. “At first, I didn’t know where they were going until they started walking toward me with guns, talking about, ‘Get on the ground,’ and I was like, ‘What?’” he told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Officers instructed Allen to get on his knees, handcuffed him, and conducted a search, which yielded no weapons. Following the search, they showed him a copy of the image that had triggered the alert, revealing the AI"s error.

This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding the reliability of AI systems in public safety scenarios. Similar situations have raised questions about the implications of using technology in law enforcement.

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