COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against Evolv Technologies, accusing the company of making false claims about its AI-powered screening systems detecting weapons and ignoring harmless personal items in schools and other settings.
In the FTC’s complaint filed Tuesday, the Massachusetts-based company is accused of deceptively advertising that its Evolv Express scanners would detect all weapons and making misleading claims that its use of AI makes its screening systems more accurate, efficient, and cost-effective than traditional metal detectors.
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Evolv’s Express security scanners are used in thousands of schools, including some within Columbus City Schools and Groveport Madison Schools. They are also used at sports stadiums and other venues, like Lower.com Field and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
The FTC alleged that Evolv’s Express scanners failed in several instances to detect weapons in schools while flagging harmless personal items typically brought to schools, such as laptops, binders and water bottles.
“The FTC has been clear that claims about technology – including artificial intelligence – need to be backed up, and that is especially important when these claims involve the safety of children,” said Samuel Levine, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. “If you make those claims without adequate support, you can expect to hear from the FTC.”
Under a proposed settlement, Evolv would be required to notify certain K-12 schools that they can opt to cancel their multi-year contracts signed between April 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.
Additionally, the company would be prohibited from making any representations about:
- the ability of its products to detect weapons, ignore harmless personal items, and ignore harmless personal items without requiring visitors to remove any such items from pockets or bags;
- its products’ accuracy in detecting weapons and false alarm rates, including in comparison to the use of traditional metal detectors;
- the speed at which visitors can be screened compared to the use of metal detectors;
- labor costs, including comparisons to the use of metal detectors;
- testing, or the results of any testing; and
- any material aspect of its performance, including the use of algorithms, artificial intelligence, or other automated systems or tools.
In a statement, Evolv said it disagreed with the agency’s allegations but resolved the inquiry by offering some K-12 schools the option to cancel the remainder of their contracts during a 60-day cancellation period. The company also said it would work to continue improving its systems.
“We understand the concerns parents have about the safety of their children at school, and we want to reassure them that our technology works and continues to help protect students every day,” said Courtney Cunnane, chief marketing officer for Evolv Technology. “We take our responsibility seriously and remain committed to providing transparent, accurate information about our products so that parents, educators, and administrators can make informed decisions."