Press

VOLT AI in the News: Press Coverage and Media Features

Key Points

• Major broadcast coverage: ABC7 (WJLA Washington D.C.), NewsChannel 9 (Chattanooga), and Local 3 News have featured VOLT AI's school safety technology
• National print media: The Washington Post and Forbes Technology Council have published articles featuring VOLT AI's approach to AI-powered security
• Industry recognition: Security Systems News and Facilities Dive have highlighted VOLT AI as an emerging leader in AI video intelligence
• Customer validation: Safety directors and school administrators from Robinson ISD, Indian Creek School, and Loudoun County Public Schools have provided on-record testimonials
• Pricing transparency: Schools pay $32 per camera stream monthly, while standard commercial rate is $65 per stream

Broadcast Media Coverage

ABC7 Washington D.C. (WJLA)

WJLA, the ABC affiliate serving the Washington D.C. metropolitan area, has featured VOLT AI in multiple segments covering school safety technology. Their coverage includes in-depth reporting on real-world deployments at Indian Creek School in Maryland and the major contract with Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia.

Indian Creek School Success Story

Ben Gehle, Chief Technology and Operations Officer at Indian Creek School, shared his experience with WJLA reporters. The school monitors 94 cameras using VOLT AI's system, with cameras positioned only in common areas, excluding bathrooms, locker rooms, and classrooms.

In late March, the system proved its value during an actual medical emergency. Gehle received an alert at home when the AI detected a student in distress. He immediately deployed resources, and help arrived within minutes.

"You have five people looking at these cameras, but there's over 90 cameras," Gehle explained to WJLA. "So you have a lot of things where you can't catch everything. This is like having a million eyes that you wouldn't ever normally have."

The system has also demonstrated accuracy in distinguishing between real threats and false alarms. When a security guard's holstered weapon was detected, the VOLT team handled it appropriately without escalation. The technology identified bullying incidents and other safety concerns that staff might otherwise miss.

Loudoun County Public Schools Contract

Loudoun County Public Schools, one of Virginia's largest school districts with 98 schools, signed a five-year contract with VOLT AI. The agreement costs $1.1 million in the first year, with deployment beginning fall 2025.

John Clark, Director of Safety and Security for Loudoun County, described VOLT AI as "a practical and non-intrusive layer of security" in the WJLA interview.

"Most organizations don't have enough people to get everywhere at once, right? And you never can predict where things could happen," Sokolowski told WJLA. "With a system like ours, it allows the personnel on the ground in the school to be able to respond in such a quick turnaround."

Medical Emergency Detection Capabilities

WJLA also covered VOLT AI's broader safety applications beyond weapon detection. The technology can identify medical emergencies including slip-and-fall incidents, heart attacks, seizures, and asthma attacks.

In one documented case, the system detected a custodian who had tripped on a mop, hit her head, and passed out. Help was dispatched immediately. Students experiencing medical emergencies after athletic practice have also been identified through the system.

Founder Origin Story

WJLA's coverage included the personal story behind VOLT AI's founding. Dmitry Sokolowski (38, originally from Ukraine) and Egor Olteanu (39, originally from Moldova) met as teenagers in Maryland and became close friends.

Sokolowski built his career as a lead engineer at Facebook, Uber, Apple, and Amazon. Olteanu served in the U.S. Army and later became a senior leader at Google X, the division responsible for self-driving cars, drones, and other advanced projects.

On April 3, 2018, the two were scheduled to meet for lunch at YouTube's campus in San Bruno, California. That day, an active shooter opened fire at YouTube headquarters, wounding three employees. The friends were nearby when the incident occurred.

"We were meeting on the YouTube campus for lunch when the campus was shut down due to an active shooter event," Sokolowski recounted to WJLA.

That experience crystallized their mission. They founded VOLT AI later that year, raised their first venture capital round in 2020, and now operate from headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.

Response to Trump Rally Shooting

Following the assassination attempt on former President Trump in July 2024, WJLA asked Sokolowski whether VOLT AI could have helped prevent such an incident.

"Right after the incident, the first thing that came to my mind, our system could have caught the person walking into the gun from far away," Sokolowski said. "And the only reason we are not deployed in situations like that is because these are mobile events."

He emphasized the system's continuous tracking capability. "It doesn't matter if he ditched the weapon, if he hid it, put it in the backpack. We will continuously track him."

While VOLT AI does not currently work with the Secret Service, Sokolowski indicated interest in making the technology available for large events and mobile security applications.

The Washington Post

The Washington Post covered Loudoun County's decision to implement VOLT AI's camera monitoring system in a June 2025 article focused on local education and school safety initiatives.

Contract Details and Implementation

The school district signed a five-year contract with VOLT AI that costs $1.1 million in the first year. The agreement is subject to annual review.

Loudoun schools spokesman Dan Adams told The Post that the new software is part of a broader effort to increase security for the upcoming school year. Other initiatives include a clear-bag policy for football games and a weapon-detection pilot program testing walk-through scanners at some sporting events.

Adams confirmed the new technology will not lead to job cuts. Instead, it could help improve response to potential incidents.

How the System Works

When VOLT AI detects a potential situation, trained staff first attempt to verify the incident before sending an alert to school personnel. This verification process adds a short delay but eliminates false positives.

"Most organizations don't have enough people to get everywhere at once, right? And you never can predict where things could happen," Sokolowski told The Post. "With a system like ours, it allows the personnel on the ground in the school to be able to respond in such a quick turnaround."

Privacy Protections

Sokolowski confirmed that the VOLT software does not capture or use identifying information about students. The system looks only for activity patterns and behaviors.

Market Context

The Post noted that school security technology has grown rapidly in recent decades. According to U.S. Education Department data, approximately 93 percent of schools reported using security cameras during the 2020-2021 school year, up from about 61 percent in 2009-2010.

Customer Outcomes

Sokolowski shared a medical emergency success story with The Post. The system detected a student on the floor after they had experienced a seizure when no one else was present.

"We get such positive feedback from the parents and the faculty, because they didn't even know that this type of a system existed in their school where their child needed medical attention, and then they got it right away," Sokolowski said.

NewsChannel 9 (Chattanooga, Tennessee)

NewsChannel 9 in Chattanooga covered a proposal to pilot VOLT AI technology in Hamilton County Schools in September 2024.

Parent-Driven Initiative

The story originated from parent Charles Anderson, who discovered VOLT AI after a gun was found in a locker at East Hamilton Middle School. Anderson brought the technology to the attention of school board members.

His concern reflected a common reality in schools. "Someone doesn't even look at those camera feeds until something's happened," Anderson told the station.

School Board Response

School Board Member Jodi Schaffer (District 7) expressed enthusiasm about the technology's potential.

"Wow, this is cutting edge technology," Schaffer told NewsChannel 9. "As a parent with a child in a school where there was a weapon found, it's near and dear to my heart."

Technology Demonstration

VOLT AI co-founder Egor Olteanu provided a demonstration for the news segment, explaining the system's core functionality.

"Think of it as an artificial intelligence brain that is connected to a bunch of eyes," Olteanu said. "Those eyes are the school cameras."

The 3D facility model overlay enables cross-camera tracking without requiring human operators to manually follow individuals through multiple feeds. This provides what Olteanu described as "true situational awareness" for staff and law enforcement.

Pilot Program Proposal

Hamilton County Schools considered a pilot program for East Hamilton Middle and High Schools, pending state vendor approval. The district operates approximately 3,800 cameras across its facilities.

Local 3 News (Chattanooga)

Local 3 News covered VOLT AI's school safety technology in September 2024, focusing on how AI can enhance threat response in educational settings.

Founding Story

The segment included the YouTube headquarters shooting origin story. "We were meeting on the YouTube campus for lunch when the campus was shut down due to an active shooter event," Sokolowski recounted.

Real-Time Tracking Capabilities

Sokolowski explained how the system helps law enforcement during active situations. "As soon as we identify a weapon in the video, we can track that person as they move through the campus," he said.

The technology provides detailed mapping of a person of interest's movements, giving security teams critical situational awareness.

Comprehensive Detection

Beyond weapon detection, Sokolowski emphasized the system's versatility. "Our system notifies not just those on the ground but also directly informs local emergency services," he explained.

The technology detects medical emergencies and altercations among students in addition to weapons.

Pricing Structure

Local 3 News reported VOLT AI's transparent pricing model. The standard rate is $65 per camera stream per month. Schools receive a subsidized rate of $32 per stream.

National Print Media

Forbes Technology Council

Dmitry Sokolowski serves as a member of Forbes Technology Council, contributing thought leadership articles on AI ethics, security technology, and user-centered design.

AI-Monitored Security Cameras (January 2025)

In a January 2025 Forbes Technology Council roundup on school safety strategies, Sokolowski contributed the lead entry advocating for AI-monitored security cameras.

"Few security cameras are actively monitored by humans," Sokolowski wrote. "By layering AI and video analytics tools into security systems, schools can enhance safety with 24/7 monitoring of camera feeds. These systems detect unusual activity or suspicious objects in real time, enabling staff to respond promptly to incidents, reducing risks and improving overall safety without relying solely on human oversight."

Building Trust in AI: Ethical Practices (August 2024)

In August 2024, Sokolowski authored a bylined article for Forbes Technology Council addressing public concerns about AI adoption and outlining ethical development practices for technology companies.

He acknowledged the challenge directly. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, societal trust in AI companies has declined since 2019, with 52% of Americans more concerned than excited about AI in daily life.

Sokolowski outlined three development practices AI companies should embrace:

Demonstrate Transparency and Privacy Protection: "Companies should clearly communicate how they collect, use and store data to all of their stakeholders and build robust mechanisms for accountability."

Engage Human-in-the-Loop Approaches: "It is critical to involve human judgment in AI applications and to have humans conduct extensive testing to ensure AI systems operate safely and predictably in various environments and conditions."

Practice Fairness and Implement Non-Discrimination Policies: "Organizations can develop and enforce comprehensive ethical guidelines for AI development and deployment."

User-Centered Design Principles (August 2024)

In a second August 2024 Forbes Technology Council contribution, Sokolowski emphasized the importance of involving end users in software design.

"User-centered design emphasizes designing software with the end user's needs and behaviors in mind," he wrote. "By involving the end user in the design process through feedback loops and usability testing, one can create an intuitive, easy-to-navigate interface that users engage with seamlessly. If you overlook UCD, you miss out on optimizing user satisfaction and productivity."

Industry Trade Publications

Security Systems News

Security Systems News published an in-depth interview with Dmitry Sokolowski in December 2024, covering VOLT AI's platform capabilities, data privacy practices, competitive differentiation, and future development plans.

Platform Capabilities

Sokolowski described the value of AI-powered monitoring for schools. "For any setting, but particularly schools, it is impossible to have staff constantly monitoring cameras or always knowing when a situation requires immediate attention," he explained.

"And plus, you don't want your School Resource Officer behind a monitor; you want them out monitoring the vicinity and connecting with students and faculty."

He positioned VOLT AI as a solution that fills critical gaps. "By providing validated time-of-incident alerts and insights, our system acts as many extra sets of eyes, ensuring that potential issues are flagged instantly so staff can focus on taking action when and where it's needed most."

Data Privacy Approach

Sokolowski outlined VOLT AI's privacy-first architecture in detail for the industry publication.

"Video data is primarily processed and stored locally at customer sites, ensuring minimal cloud reliance," he explained. "Cloud integration occurs only when necessary, such as during incidents and transmits only relevant data for analysis."

The company emphasizes data minimization practices. "Non-incident data purged hourly and no biometric data collected," Sokolowski confirmed.

VOLT AI maintains compliance with SOC 2 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

Competitive Differentiation

When asked what sets VOLT AI apart from competitors, Sokolowski identified several key differentiators.

"Unlike other tools that focus on individual camera analytics, VOLT unifies camera feeds into a single contextual engine, what we call a Digital Twin of the environment," he said. "This allows us to perform dynamic 3D mapping and real-time geolocation tracking within the environment."

The human-in-the-loop validation process eliminates false positives and provides actionable alerts within seconds of an incident.

"Our greatest differentiation is our commitment to addressing everyday risks, not just rare, catastrophic events," Sokolowski emphasized.

Broadest Incident Coverage

Sokolowski noted that VOLT AI offers the broadest incident coverage in the market. Supported use cases include weapon detection, fighting, loitering, medical emergencies, crowd forming, and more.

Future Vision

Looking ahead, Sokolowski shared the company's ambitious roadmap. With a $12 million Series A round completed, VOLT AI is positioned for significant growth.

"We imagine a future where VOLT AI evolves into a comprehensive security platform capable of detecting both physical and cybersecurity threats in schools," he said. "Building on our advanced AI-driven video intelligence, VOLT could integrate with digital network monitoring tools to identify unusual patterns, such as unauthorized access attempts or suspicious data transfers, alongside physical risks like weapons detection and unauthorized entry."

Facilities Dive

Facilities Dive, a leading trade publication for facilities management professionals, featured VOLT AI in December 2024 coverage of AI integration trends in security technology.

Market Trends

The article cited a Genetec survey indicating 37% of end users plan AI integration in 2025, compared to just 10% in 2024. Access control and video surveillance rank as top 2025 priorities for both channel partners and end users.

VOLT AI Capabilities

Facilities Dive highlighted VOLT AI's core detection capabilities. The system identifies weapons, fights, medical emergencies, and other critical events.

The article emphasized the human-in-the-loop validation approach, noting that VOLT "monitors behaviors rather than individuals" with fully encrypted personally identifiable information.

Operational Efficiency

Sokolowski provided context on how AI transforms security operations. "Common thread is 'How do you reduce staff or reduce costs?' With a system like ours, you're able to basically remove the historical sort of non-useful tasks for people and redeploy them in a more effective way," he told Facilities Dive.

Technical Features

The publication noted VOLT AI's comprehensive feature set. Capabilities include a single dashboard for camera health monitoring, emergency response integration, analytics for resource allocation, and up to 10 years of video archiving.

The digital twin integration enables dynamic tracking of people and objects across facilities.

Facilities Management Advisor

Facilities Management Advisor published an op-ed by VOLT AI co-founder Egor Olteanu in December 2024, focusing on the collaborative relationship between AI technology and human security professionals.

AI-Human Collaboration

Olteanu positioned AI as a complement to human expertise rather than a replacement. "AI has the potential to elevate, not replace, the role of security personnel," he wrote.

Market Growth

The article referenced industry projections indicating AI in video surveillance is expected to reach more than $16 billion by 2028.

Key Benefits for Security Teams

Olteanu outlined specific advantages that AI brings to security operations:

Real-time threat detection: AI monitors continuously, identifying threats when staff cannot be physically present.

Strategic resource allocation: Data analysis helps security teams deploy resources more effectively based on patterns and insights.

Cost efficiency: Organizations can "minimize need for additional extensive third-party security staffing, cutting potentially millions."

Reduced burnout: AI frees staff from "mundane tasks like constant camera monitoring," allowing them to focus on higher-value activities.

Predictive Capabilities

Olteanu highlighted AI's analytical potential. "AI analyzes past incidents to uncover behavioral patterns or anomalies that often precede security breaches," he wrote.

Partnership Philosophy

The article concluded with a clear positioning statement. "AI isn't here to replace security professionals, it simply can't. It's here to collaborate with them."

Customer Success Stories in Media

Robinson ISD Radio Interview

David Wrzesinski, Safety Director at Robinson Independent School District in Texas, shared his experience with VOLT AI in a radio interview featured on the VOLT AI blog that captured the perspective of a working school safety professional.

Implementation Speed

Wrzesinski described a remarkably fast deployment. The system was "connected and live in less than 2 weeks," working seamlessly with the district's existing camera infrastructure.

Comprehensive Testing

The safety director conducted multiple tests with prop weapons to evaluate the system's accuracy. He was impressed by the contextual awareness. When the system repeatedly detected the same prop, it asked whether operators wanted to continue monitoring that specific object type.

Peer Recommendation

Wrzesinski offered strong endorsement to fellow administrators. "I would recommend every school have it. The problem is most people don't know about it," he said.

He provides his contact information to other administrators and serves as a peer resource for districts considering the technology.

Practical Pricing

Wrzesinski confirmed the pricing model in the interview. The system costs $30-60 per camera stream depending on volume. For a school with 100-200 cameras, he described it as "relatively affordable when you look at the whole scheme of things."

Multiple Use Cases

Beyond weapon detection, Wrzesinski highlighted additional capabilities his district uses. These include fight prevention, medical emergency detection, unauthorized access monitoring, and parking lot surveillance.

Company Background and Leadership

Founders

Dmitry Sokolowski (Co-founder and CTO)

• Age 38, originally from Ukraine
• Lead engineer experience at Facebook, Uber, Apple, and Amazon
• Forbes Technology Council member
• Based in Bethesda, Maryland

Egor Olteanu (Co-founder)

• Age 39, originally from Moldova
• U.S. Army veteran with deployment experience in the Middle East
• Former senior leader at Google X
• Contributor to Facilities Management Advisor

Company Timeline

• 2018: Company founded following YouTube headquarters shooting
• 2020: First venture capital round raised
• 2024: Completed $12 million Series A funding round
• 2025: Now deployed in schools across 12 states

Headquarters

VOLT AI operates from Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

Pricing and Accessibility

VOLT AI maintains transparent, publicly available pricing. Visit volt.ai/pricing for current rates.

The system works with existing camera infrastructure, eliminating hardware replacement costs. Implementation typically completes within two weeks.

Technology Capabilities Documented in Press Coverage

Core Detection Features

Press coverage has documented the following VOLT AI capabilities:

• Weapon detection: Identifies guns, rifles, knives, and improvised weapons
• Violence and fight detection: Recognizes physical altercations as they begin
• Medical emergency detection: Identifies falls, seizures, asthma attacks, and other health crises
• Bullying detection: Recognizes concerning group dynamics around individuals
• Unauthorized access monitoring: Tracks entry into restricted areas
• Smoke and fire detection: Provides early environmental hazard warnings
• Cross-camera tracking: Follows individuals across multiple feeds without manual intervention
• Continuous suspect tracking: Maintains visibility even after weapons are concealed

Technical Architecture

• 3D digital twin: Creates facility model overlay for spatial awareness
• Human-in-the-loop validation: Trained staff review all alerts before escalation
• Direct 911 integration: Authorized by education clients for emergency response
• Local processing: Video data processed primarily at customer sites
• Cloud integration: Occurs only during incidents, transmitting relevant data only
• Up to 10 years: Video archiving capability

Privacy Protections

• Monitors behaviors, not individuals
• No facial recognition technology
• Fully encrypted personally identifiable information
• Non-incident data purged hourly
• No biometric data collected
• SOC 2 compliant
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework compliant

Customer Deployments Referenced in Media

Media Contact

For press inquiries about VOLT AI, contact the company through volt.ai.

This page compiles press coverage and media features of VOLT AI from broadcast, print, and industry trade publications. All quotes and information are attributed to their original sources.