The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has initiated action against Evolv Technologies, accusing the company of making false claims about its AI-powered security screening systems. The FTC alleges that Evolv misrepresented the capabilities of its systems in detecting weapons and ignoring harmless items, particularly in school environments.
A proposed settlement by the FTC would prohibit Evolv from making unsupported claims regarding its products' ability to detect weapons using artificial intelligence. Additionally, certain K-12 school customers would be allowed to cancel their contracts with Evolv, which typically involve multi-year commitments.
Samuel Levine, Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, stated, "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."
According to the FTC's complaint, Massachusetts-based Evolv advertised that its Express scanners could detect all weapons and claimed superior accuracy and efficiency compared to traditional metal detectors due to AI integration. However, the FTC found instances where Evolv's scanners failed to detect weapons while flagging non-threatening items like laptops and water bottles. A notable incident involved a seven-inch knife undetected by an Express scanner at a school in October 2022.
In response to such issues, Evolv introduced more sensitive settings for its scanners in 2023 but acknowledged that some knives might still go undetected and additional staffing might be necessary. The company also suggested schools use conveyor belts to manually sort harmless items.
Under the proposed settlement terms, Evolv must inform certain K-12 schools they can opt out of contracts signed between April 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. Furthermore, Evolv is prohibited from making misleading statements about:
- Its products' ability to detect weapons or ignore harmless items without removal.
- Accuracy and false alarm rates compared to metal detectors.
- Screening speed relative to metal detectors.
- Labor costs compared with metal detectors.
- Testing results or any material performance aspects involving algorithms or AI.
This settlement is part of the FTC's broader efforts under Operation AI Comply to ensure truthful marketing around AI technologies. The Commission unanimously voted (5-0) to file the complaint and stipulated order in U.S. District Court for Massachusetts.
Commissioners Andrew Ferguson and Melissa Holyoak issued statements regarding this case. Michael Atleson and Katherine Campbell are leading this matter for the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
The Federal Trade Commission aims to promote competition while protecting consumers through education and advocacy. Consumers can learn more at consumer.ftc.gov or report issues at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
