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With thousands of people transiting hundreds of airports worldwide, it is imperative to take advantage of artificial intelligence to speed up security screening processes while maintaining accuracy. Airports use AI for drug and explosives detection to check passengers’ bags quickly, with almost zero incidences of false positives. Although it is common for some airports to use dogs for this task, they require constant guidance from a person and often take a long time to scan a considerable amount of luggage. As dogs are not a viable option at large airports, security personnel use an explosives trace detector in specific areas of the airport to detect potential threats. Artificial intelligence analyses the images it receives and helps security personnel detect potential threats. This new method allows the analyses of more baggage per hour, and security personnel experience much less fatigue.
Human error is suppressed
Humans are not naturally equipped to maintain the same level of attention throughout the day. The security officers’ stress, anxiety and even personal problems can affect their performance when screening passengers’ luggage transiting through the airport. Artificial intelligence analyses the image of the contents of each passenger’s suitcase and checks the data stored in its database. The AI analyses each object’s shape, material and density to discover possible weapons, explosives, drugs, or other prohibited items, such as food or seeds. Delegating a portion of their work to AI significantly reduces security agents’ physical and mental exhaustion, resulting in improved performance. If the AI detects a suspicious object, it issues an alert, allowing the security officer to check in more detail. As the AI supports security personnel, they are not pressured to analyse each image carefully, reducing burnout and stress.
AI upgrades and learns
People trying to get banned materials through airport security checkpoints constantly look for new ways to go unnoticed. One of the powerful advantages of artificial intelligence is that its database can be updated with human input or machine learning. Imagine security personnel detects a new method of smuggling in an airport in Dubai. That information can be stored and transmitted to other airports around the world. With this system, security agents are always one step ahead of unscrupulous people. In addition, in the event of a false positive, security officers can “teach” the artificial intelligence to detect them more accurately in the future. For example, artificial intelligence can learn to differentiate between a plastic and a metal weapon. Artificial intelligence helps create safer airports and shorter waiting times for passengers.