We’ve all been there: You’re running late for your flight, only to be met with a long line of passengers waiting for security checks. You brace yourself for the inevitable search and patdown, knowing it could take precious minutes from your tight schedule.
There’s a better way – the answer’s in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) pre-check and CLEAR aisles ahead of us. With 27.4 million TSA pre-check and 12 million CLEAR passengers (yes, there’s overlap), it’s evident that many travellers are already taking advantage of data-driven risk assessments and technologies to streamline the screening process.
By leveraging access to data and advanced analytics, authorities can identify potential threats long before they ever reach the airport, paving the way for a more efficient and less intrusive security experience.
The TSA’s Pat Down Paradox: Paying More for Less Effective Security
To make a case for modern data solutions in airport security, we must first examine the effectiveness of current TSA checks. And there are receipts:
- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) went incognito with banned items and found that TSA agents failed to spot them over 80% of the time. Unfortunately, the TSA is projected to spend $10.3 billion in 2023 alone.
- Researchers of the DHS inspector general report in 2019 revealed that the TSA’s spending of billions of dollars on security measures was largely ineffective. Remember that the next time you’re standing in line barefoot and tossing your perfectly good water bottle!
- It gets worse- according to the DHS Inspector General, the TSA at airports took corrective actions on only 42% to 53% of the recorded security breaches.
We need evidence that current TSA investments are paying off and making us safer. So why do we continue with this expensive and often frustrating security theatre that only worsens tensions between TSA and passengers?
Security Theater and its Cast
The New York Times found that the committee responsible for setting guidelines for TSA X-ray scanners is from the scanner manufacturers. That’s comparable to asking me to grade my homework in college. Then, there’s the security theatre.
Security theatre is all about appearances, like full-body scans and removing shoes. Politicians advocate for this tactic to show they’re tough on security. It comes at the expense of resources that could be better spent on modern data solutions. Solutions that have already been proven effective by TSA Pre-check and CLEAR.
While these data-driven solutions may cut into the revenue streams of security theatre, they could easily be covered by the TSA’s massive $10.3 billion budget.
How Data and Modern Machine Learning can Help TSA Keep Us Safe (and Sane)
Innovative machine learning (ML) and analytics solutions can potentially eliminate invasive TSA checks already in use.
- Biometrics and ID Verification: Modern solutions such as facial recognition, eye scans, and fingerprints replace traditional ID check processes. Companies like CLEAR are already implementing this technology for their passengers. With data-driven solutions like these, accuracy is boosted, and time and costs are reduced.
- Data Collection: The TSA can access vast data sources from airlines, railways, port authorities, and law and intelligence agencies. They collect biometrics of pre-check customers and have data on where individuals have travelled, where they have shown identification, and video footage of high-risk situations to cross-reference their images. The TSA can modernize its approach with data and AI by mobilising and analysing this data.
- ML and Predictive Analytics: The TSA already uses ML and predictive analytics to forecast the busiest airport days and preemptively thwart threats. By leveraging advanced ML models and predictive analytics, passenger and airport data, and real-time video footage, the TSA can allocate resources more efficiently to identify high-risk flights and individuals. Companies like Palantir use deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision to extract insights from complex data sets and texts to identify potential threats.
No, we’re not talking about the “Minority Report” technology where Tom Cruise arrests people before they commit a crime. We’re talking about using data and analytics to maximize security without the time-consuming and invasive checks. Just ask the millions of satisfied passengers using CLEAR and TSA Pre-check.
The Caveat: Data Privacy and Trust
In the era of analytics and AI, data access and sharing are essential to enhancing airport security. However, as a traveller, you may be concerned about the safety and privacy of your personal information. While the TSA accesses sensitive data such as passenger personal details to keep travellers safe, it must prioritize privacy in obtaining this information. Thankfully, solutions like Protopia AI are emerging, protecting private data while allowing ML systems to utilize necessary information.
Gartner’s 2023 AI TriSM Guide has recognized Protopia AI for implementing Trust, Risk, and Security Management in AI. The US Navy and financial institutions are currently using the solution – to provide diverse stakeholders with the ability to share data and collaborate seamlessly with confidential information. As we deploy ML models for airport security, data protection is paramount. Organizations must safeguard data during ML deployment, including de-identifying sensitive data and implementing strict access controls.
A Game Plan for Smoothing the Way Through Security
Making airport security more effective and less intrusive will take more than just technology and know-how. It’s going to require a broader change in organizational mindset and commitment. It’s much easier to talk the walk in a blog. It’s crucial to involve parties that play a significant role in the airline travel ecosystem.
Investing in Preemptive ML and Analytics for Safer Travel
Investing in preemption instead of point-of-departure security can boost airport security and be more effective. Microsoft and IBM are collaborating with government agencies to develop solutions to identify potential threats before they even reach the airport. The government is already in the game, so let’s bring talent, technology, and solutions to extend this investment into airports. It’s time to be more proactive about airport security and invest in solutions that can prevent incidents before they occur.
TSA, Airports, Airlines, and Government Agencies- Assemble!
Collaboration and partnership between the TSA and industry stakeholders, including airlines, airports, and technology providers, are crucial for improving airport security. By sharing data, insights, and expertise, these teams can work more efficiently to identify potential threats.
Politics also play a role. Lawmakers must be motivated to showcase positive results with security and passenger satisfaction numbers rather than resorting to theatrics. Prioritizing data protection and privacy at each data lifecycle stage is also essential.
Building a Data-driven Culture
The TSA and airport partners must inspire a data-driven culture in their operations. This means educating personnel with the knowledge and confidence to make decisions based on data and analytics. By leveraging data, the TSA can enhance staffing, streamline checkpoint layouts, and reduce wait times. The bar needs to be set high. Southwest Airlines learned this lesson the hard way during its 2022 mass flight cancellation crisis. They relied on outdated solutions and suffered costly chaos that left passengers stranded. A data-driven mindset in organizations is simply good business.
Wrap-up
The TSA system is long overdue for a makeover, and the key to a more efficient and effective screening process lies in modern data solutions. Biometric authentication and AI may sound like buzzwords, but they have the power to revamp airport security. Let’s look at the success of TSA pre-check and CLEAR. These data-driven risk assessments expedite the screening process, keep everyone safe, and even respect passengers’ privacy and time.
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