Killing Fields by Al Sikes

Pardon my going back a few years—I will come forward. Forward to the killing field at a church in Minneapolis—the Annunciation Catholic Church.

Going back a few years I recall being unpleasantly startled when an AdBot (automated software agent that displays advertisements) in what seemed to be fractions of a second, paired me with an Advertisement for something I had been researching. I can’t recall what I was sizing up so let me substitute my suspicion. Maybe a stove, as my wife and I were buying kitchen appliances for our new home.

Almost immediately I began getting Ads for stoves and other kitchen appliances. Everywhere I went on the Internet, the Ads followed me around.

This experience took me back to my venture capital days and the first years of the Internet. I was pitched for an investment in a company that had developed AdBot technology. I remember cringing as I thought about the intrusion. What was ingenious was also a breach of  privacy.

In recent days I have advocated the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) using large language models (LLMs) to discover potential shooters before they take action. Several have suggested that would be a breach of privacy. Exactly, but that train left the station along time ago.

So rather than just selling things I would suggest that federal and/or state governments train LLMs to provide second by second monitoring of people who use violent words and imagery on the Internet. And if the evidence, synthesized, suggests they are a threat to instigate lethality on schools or churches or street corners or much else, that law enforcement quickly place them in protective custody.  And then counselors can work with them on their mental health.

In the aftermath of most shootings we learn within a few hours that the shooter had posted rants that signal his intentions hours or maybe just minutes before he sprays bullets at unsuspecting persons. Or, uses his car as a weapon. We need to turn the technology adapted for advertisements into applications to save lives.

Will this end the epidemic we now face? Almost certainly not. Will this tool in the hands of law enforcement lessen the killing; almost certainly.

Along with this technology-led initiative we will also learn about the current stance of the National Rifle Association (NRA). The organization that takes the lead should offer the NRA a chance to collaborate and in President Trump-like fashion give them a week to sign on. Indeed, this is a chance for President Trump to take the lead helped along by his friend Elon Musk a leader in deploying AI.