David Doermann Explains Why AI Security Cameras Still Lack Common Sense

Prof. David Doermann, SUNY Empire Innovation Professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, was recently quoted in The Wall Street Journal on the limits of AI-powered doorbell and home security cameras.

The article explains that while these systems are designed to provide more detailed alerts than simple motion notifications, they can still make surprising mistakes, such as confusing brake lights for housefires or passing dogs for bears. Prof. Doermann noted that these AI tools are very strong at recognizing visual patterns, but they still lack common sense, which is why they can seem highly impressive in one moment and completely wrong in the next.