Security camera systems - Expert commentary
The eagerness to adopt AI in physical security is increasing as teams want to implement technology solutions for faster, smarter operations. At the same time, the conversations surrounding AI have changed. The focus now includes not only efficiency gains but also concerns about accountability and trust. According to the Genetec 2026 State of Physical Security report, AI ranked alongside access control and video surveillance as a key priority. However, approximately 40% of the over 7,000 physica...
The biggest return on investment from an AI-enabled camera might have nothing to do with security. Organizations are increasingly discovering that the same cameras installed to protect people and property can also improve safety, streamline operations, automate routine workflows, and generate valuable business intelligence. Security remains the primary mission, but it is increasingly only the first customer for the intelligence these systems produce. AI-enabled cameras are rapidly becoming dis...
Europe has set an ambitious goal. With the European Green Deal, leaders aim to make the continent climate neutral by 2050. Ireland is following this lead, promising to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 51% before 2030. And solar energy is a key part of this plan. If you drive through rural Ireland today, you can see the changes happening. Solar farms now cover former grazing land and open fields. They work quietly and efficiently, providing clean electricity to homes, hospitals, schools, and busi...
It has been 10 years since the European Union adopted the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), triggering a fundamental overhaul of data protection and privacy law. Today, GDPR is embedded in the day-to-day operations of organizations working with, or within, EU member states. GDPR was introduced in recognition that the world had changed profoundly and that existing data protection laws were no longer adequate in an increasingly digital and interconnected environment. The regulation was a...
Modernizing security infrastructure requires research and planning to build intelligent, connected systems that are secure, scalable and positioned to take the organization into the future. Prioritising needs, total cost of ownership, interoperability, resilience and sustained value will help ensure that a surveillance system upgrade will deliver both protection and measurable operational impact. Before making that investment, however, security leaders must answer a few key questions to manage...
Security is a top priority for any organization responsible for safeguarding critical infrastructure. However, recent events have highlighted the fragility of the global energy supply chain and the need for change. When tankers cannot safely navigate the Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices rise and public anxiety grows. This often results in long lines at the fuel pump and fears of shortages quickly becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. The reality is that critical infrastructure will always be a tar...
For years, innovation in physical security has focused on what systems can do: higher-resolution cameras, AI-driven analytics, smarter access control, and cloud-based management. But across deployments, from residential systems to enterprise campuses, a more fundamental issue continues to undermine performance: Connectivity. It is increasingly clear that the effectiveness of modern security systems is not limited by sensors or software, but by the reliability, reach, and architecture of the net...
The FIFA World Cup is the ultimate celebration of “The Beautiful Game.” Every four years, we welcome this highly anticipated competition on the global stage, unifying nations and bringing people from all corners of the world together in the name of soccer. While the culmination of the World Cup’s unmatched energy creates electrifying moments on the soccer pitch, the underlying security and risk threats cannot be overlooked.World Cups are not just sporting events, they are tempo...
The physical security industry's entire value proposition is built on the idea that the right people get in and the wrong people stay out. It is somewhat ironic, then, that the industry itself has been fairly cavalier about who gets into a career inside it. I work in an industry that designs and deploys the systems that decide who enters a building, who carries a credential, and who is trusted with access. The technology has grown remarkably sophisticated with AI-based and biometric technologie...
A security camera installed today has more AI processing power than the systems that guided early autonomous vehicle prototypes. And yet the operator who mounts that camera on a wall will, in all likelihood, never use most of that capability. Industry surveys bear this out: a wide gap persists between the number of security professionals who believe AI can improve outcomes and the much smaller share who have adopted it operationally. The reason has nothing to do with the silicon and every...
Banking is built on change. The financial services landscape is evolving faster than ever, as mobile adoption, digital transactions, and customer expectations continue to accelerate. Success in this space now depends on more than keeping pace — it’s about anticipating what comes next and building the agility to move with it. At the same time, financial institutions face the dual challenge of transformation and trust. They must modernise operations, integrate emerging technologies, a...
Acquisitions are often billed as moments of bold opportunity. For senior executives and boards, these deals are about accelerating growth, unlocking synergies, and strengthening competitive advantage. But for the teams responsible for making operations run safely and smoothly — including physical security — acquisitions can feel like controlled chaos. Decisions happen without warning, details are opaque, and the ripple effects of choices made in the boardroom cascade down through ev...
In security, vision is paramount. The surveillance camera serves as an unwavering digital eye—the foundational source of truth. Yet a critical vulnerability persists: what happens when these “eyes” falter without warning? Corrupted footage or unexplained gaps in recorded evidence can render an entire system unreliable, turning trusted video into questionable data. Relying on chance is no longer a viable strategy. Traditionally, ensuring the health of a video surveillance syste...
In mobile surveillance, remote sites, and environments with unstable networks, video recordings often suffer from "time gaps" due to network interruptions, a longstanding technical challenge for security systems. Under traditional architectures, central servers rely on real-time streams for storage. Once the network connection is lost, the recording timeline experiences an irrecoverable interruption, leading to the loss of footage of critical events. This creates a fundamental flaw in post-eve...
It took just seven minutes to steal more than $100 million in jewels from the Louvre, in an operation so swift and precise it exposed a deeper flaw in how even the most secure institutions protect what matters most. It's reignited global scrutiny of both physical and digital security, revealing how gaps in coordination can turn sophisticated systems into operational failures. Video intelligence and integrated monitoring Across museums, government facilities, and corporate campuses, vid...
Artificial intelligence (AI) creates efficiencies throughout various industries, from managing teams to operating businesses. Key outcomes include faster investigations, fewer false alerts, automated operational checks, and quicker support experiences. These advancements free up valuable time for users, allowing them to focus on high-impact priorities that drive greater ROI. When it comes to surveillance, AI is most visibly powering a new generation of vision language-powered video analytics,...
Artificial Intelligence isn’t just a buzzword anymore. It has become part of our lives, and its uses and applications are growing every other day. Even the public sector, which usually is a late adopter of new technologies, has come onboard this new train. Law enforcement, in particular, has seen the advantages different AI technologies can offer to their work and has started to integrate them into their workflow and daily routines. But there is much more to come. Task automation: AI as...
In today's rapidly evolving security landscape, facial recognition has become a buzzword that often triggers privacy and data protection concerns. However, many security professionals may not realize that "facial recognition" is an umbrella term encompassing various technologies, each with distinct applications and privacy implications. Let's dive into what these technologies really mean for security system resellers, integrators, and end-users. Facial recognition tech At its core, faci...
A survey conducted by Blackhawk Network finds the average shopper plans to spend almost half of their holiday budget to buy gift cards this year versus only 39% in 2023. The global gift card market was valued at $1.3 billion USD in 2023, and it is projected to reach more than $5.2 billion USD by 2032. Fraud - a growing concern While gift cards continue to be top of mind for consumers for streamlined gifting, gift card fraud is a growing concern for consumers and businesses alike. Accordin...
In the past, security and IT teams operated independently, but today collaboration is critical. Modern security systems rely on various devices and systems that are linked to internal and external networks. Without IT involvement, physical security can become a weak point for cybersecurity. Although these groups have made headway in partnering up to ensure the successful implementation of new solutions, often there’s still a disconnect. Differing skills, priorities, and unique ways of th...
The artificial intelligence revolution in physical security has arrived, transforming how we protect people, assets, and infrastructure. From smart buildings that automatically adjust access protocols based on real-time threat assessments to healthcare facilities using AI-enhanced video analytics for patient safety, these technologies are reshaping the industry landscape. But with this transformation comes a new era of regulatory oversight that security professionals must navigate carefully.&nb...
As part of ever-evolving technological advancements and the increase in digitization, home security systems remain a vital piece of equipment for at least 39 million households in the U.S., and as many as 13 million more households may install new security systems in the next 12 months. Global home security market In addition, a recent study found that 60% of burglars are deterred from attempting a burglary when a home has a security system, looking for alternative targets that are easier. A...
In the realm of physical security, the distinction between being perceived as a security vendor and a security partner holds great importance. While both may seem interchangeable at first glance, how an organization is viewed by its clients can have a huge impact on the success of its security programs. At the heart of this differentiation is the concept of relationships and how they shape the dynamics between providers and their clients. Time, care, and diligence For security vendors s...
Misconceptions about AI and analytics in video security are common due to the rapid evolution of the technology and varying levels of understanding. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics are increasingly used as interchangeable terms when discussing video security cameras. AI v/s analytics While there is some overlap, it is important to articulate the differences between them when speaking to stakeholders or customers. As the myriad types of AI gain more prominence in the global dialog&...
With the rise of organized retail crime (ORC) making headlines, retailers are grappling with the dual challenge of safeguarding both their staff and store assets, while addressing the economic pressures that impact profitability and consumer demand. RFID technology The key lies in identifying effective solutions to counter the current surge in ORC, enabling retailers to secure their vulnerable staff and protect inventory for paying customers. Technology plays a crucial role in supportin...
The importance of data is ever-growing. For every profession, we’re witnessing the increasing reliance on data and its ability to promote efficiency for corporate decision-makers. The security industry is no different. The growing reliance on data and technological tools has allowed for a new breed of professionals with specialized skill sets. This evolution reflects the changing nature of security challenges in the digital age. The new security environment We know one thing from near...
If you were to ask people outside our industry what door and access security entails, chances are their answers would reflect their common encounters with locks, security guards, cameras, and maybe metal detectors, badges, or automatic doors. But if they were curious enough, they’d probably be astounded to learn how extensive, intricate, and interesting the business can be and, of course, how vital it is to life safety, physical security, and cybersecurity. Integrated, inter...
Amidst the challenges of a prevailing economic downturn, the retail sector finds itself grappling with an unparalleled rise in incidents of shoplifting, theft, and burglaries. The disconcerting scenes witnessed on London’s Oxford Street in August 2023, where crowds gathered, looting as many stores as possible, sent shockwaves across the nation’s retailers. This alarming surge in retail crime has put retailers on high alert, as they contend with a rising tide of security concer...
The average business owner or investor has some kind of security precaution in place, especially in the after-hours when there are fewer deterrents to inhibit criminal activity. Security guards, video surveillance systems, motion sensor lights, or even just fake cameras placed around the property are some of the common options people choose. Future of overnight security Smart business owners are starting to realize, however, that some of these traditional security measures are becoming...
The autumn equinox, which marks the start of autumn, occurs this weekend on Saturday, September 23. With darker evenings ahead, the experts at ADT have shared five ways to maximize your home's security. Author's quote Michele Bennett, General Manager at ADT UK&I comments: “Opportunistic thieves use darkness to their advantage, so it’s no surprise that the number of burglaries committed increases when the darker nights draw in." He adds, "Our 2022 burglary report found that bu...
