The article discusses the growing trend of schools implementing AI-powered surveillance systems to monitor students’ online activities and communications for potential signs of violence. These systems scan students’ school-issued devices, emails, documents, and messages for concerning keywords and patterns that might indicate threats, self-harm, or violent intentions. The investigation reveals that while many schools are adopting this technology with hopes of preventing school shootings and other violence, there are significant privacy concerns and questions about effectiveness. The AI systems have flagged thousands of incidents, but many are false positives or benign communications. Critics argue that this level of surveillance may harm student-teacher trust and could particularly impact vulnerable students. The article highlights that these AI systems are part of a larger school safety industry worth approximately $3.1 billion annually. Some success stories are cited where the technology helped identify legitimate threats, but experts caution about over-reliance on AI surveillance and emphasize the need for human oversight. The investigation also points out that there’s limited evidence proving these systems effectively prevent violence, while raising concerns about student privacy rights and the psychological impact of constant monitoring. School administrators defend the technology as a necessary tool in modern safety protocols, while acknowledging the need to balance security with student privacy.