Michigan using artificial intelligence to detect weapons in the state Capitol

The intention is to reduce any possibility of a mass shooting and increase safety for workers.

Michigan has begun deploying artificial intelligence (AI) technology to detect weapons at the state Capitol. The decision was made as part of the state's attempt to tackle crime. Michigan's became the first state capitol in the country to use a platform designed by the company ZeroEyes.

"As the political climate grows increasingly tumultuous, it’s imperative that we remain vigilant and attuned to our surroundings," Michigan State Capitol Commission Executive Director Rob Blackshaw said in a news release sent to The Hill.

Likewise, the senior vice president of sales at ZeroEyes shared the news on LinkedIn. "ZeroEyes is proud to announce that the Michigan State Capitol complex has become the first in the Nation to deploy AI gun detection."

Meanwhile, the executive director of the Michigan State Capitol Commission, Rob Blackshaw, said that the intention is to reduce any possibility of a mass shooting and increase the level of security for those who work there.

"Our biggest goal — as we've said from Day One — is to decrease any potential of a mass shooting and increase our level of safety for the people who work here and visit here," he said in a conversation with Bridge Michigan.

The site also reported that "the artificial intelligence system will tap into existing video surveillance at the Capitol, including inside the building and outside grounds, where openly carried firearms are still allowed."