Taser drones in schools: Axon’s plan to stop school shootings
Summary
This episode explores the ethical and practical challenges of deploying armed drones in schools to stop active shooters, revisiting Axon’s 2023 decision to abandon its taser-drone project after its AI ethics board voted against it. The story contrasts that past rejection with current efforts by companies like Mithril Defense to test drone-based interventions, while highlighting ongoing concerns about privacy, racial bias, and the dehumanization of policing. It also touches on recent developments in AI safety, including OpenAI’s disclosure of model misalignment and a federal judge’s ruling o…
Topics discussed
Mithril Defense's drone for school safety
Axon's previous taser drone proposal
Show intro and return to 2023 story
Sponsor segments: NordLayer and Odoo
Role of AI ethics boards and Axon's board
Board deliberations on weaponizing drones
Concerns over taser abuse and bias
Case study: Taser use on Dawson Lee
Ethics board vote against taser drones
Board decision and CEO reaction
Sponsor segments: Serval and Hunting Warhead
Axon announces school taser drone plan
Criticism of school drone feasibility
Ethics board resigns in protest
Axon pivots to general drone partnerships
Current status and facial recognition concerns
Tech news: Cyberattacks on oil tankers
Tech news: AI misalignment and kill switch
Tech news: Google ad tech antitrust ruling
Tech news: Meta's camera-free smart glasses
Credits and Recorded Future sponsorship
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