The Impact of AI

It would be hard to overstate the potential impact of “artificial intelligence” on the security industry. In fact the Security Industry Association’s 2024 Megatrends Report, published last December, named AI and some of the issues around it as the top four trends, splitting the multi-faceted trend into sub-components because the topic is so vast.

So when we set out to cover this topic as this month’s cover story, the issue of where to begin was no small consideration. Ultimately we decided to start with you, the security integrator, and how you are implementing AI, both for your customers and yourselves.

The resulting story, How Integrators Are Navigating the Next Era of AI-Enabled Security, written by SDM Senior Editor Rodney Bosch takes an in-depth look at how leading integrators are currently experiencing AI integrations and its implications for their businesses and end-user clients.

One of the advantages integrators are seeing tracks with what I have been hearing a lot about at recent shows and conferences: making security more proactive than reactive, and increasing the business case uses for security systems, thus increasing the ROI.

Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and security integrators are seeing real benefits for themselves and their customers.

“AI is truly transforming the security landscape, and we’re seeing the biggest impact in video surveillance,” says Priya Serai, chief information officer, Zeus Fire and Security in the article. “Traditional systems that relied on manual monitoring are evolving into intelligent, proactive tools. With AI, video surveillance has shifted from just passively recording footage to real-time analysis — identifying suspicious behavior, detecting unusual patterns, and even predicting potential security breaches before they occur.”

From choosing the best AI model, to cost, design and implementation, these integrators have a lot of useful information and advice I think you will find useful. Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and security integrators are seeing real benefits for themselves and their customers.

One thing is for sure: AI is only just beginning to show its impact and is likely to reshape a large swath of our industry, and beyond. If you haven’t already done so, its time to dive deeper into this transformative technology trend and start to figure out how it can help your end users get more out of their security systems, and possibly help your company’s business processes as well.

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As the Editor-in-Chief of SDM, Karyn Hodgson is responsible for the overall editorial direction of the magazine, its supplements, e-newsletters and website. She works with the SDM editorial staff to develop content that helps security dealers and systems integrators operate successful businesses. Karyn represents SDM at trade shows and conferences, and directs exclusive research studies such as the SDM Industry Forecast. She also manages SDM’s Dealer of the Year and Systems Integrator of the Year Award programs. Karyn has an MSJ in Journalism (magazine publishing) degree from Northwestern University, and more than 25 years’ experience writing for and about the security industry. Contact Karyn with article ideas.